You work hard to keep yourself and your family safe. However, there may be major safety hazards lurking in your home that you are unaware of. These three common causes of household fires are perfect examples.
1. Cooking
There is nothing like a home-cooked meal to bring the family together. Sadly, cooking-related incidents are also the number one source of housefires. They account for nearly half of all residential fires. Leaving cooking food unattended can increase the chances of an accident happening — and getting out of control.
Grease is a common culprit when it comes to cooking-related fires. It becomes flammable at high temperatures, and a grease fire is often very difficult to extinguish once lit. Avoid pouring water on a grease fire. Instead, you turn off the heat and smother small blazes with a pan lid. This safety sheet from the National Fire Protection Association offers several tips for keeping your cooking routine safe.
2. Clothes Dryers
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are around 2,900 fires attributed to clothes dryers in the U.S. each year which result in injuries, deaths, and millions of dollars in property damage. Many of these are preventable. Following electrical codes and performing routine maintenance can go a long way to help keep your laundry routine safer. If you can’t remember the last time you looked inside the dryer vent, now is a great time to schedule professional duct cleaning for a fresh start.
3. Christmas Trees
These seemingly harmless seasonal decorations cause hundreds of house fires in the U.S. each year. Fresh trees dry out quickly and need to be given fresh water daily to keep them from becoming kindling. Add to that overloaded electrical outlets and the heat from lights that are often left unattended, and it is no wonder Christmas trees can be unsafe.
Danger is often hiding in plain sight. Knowing what to look for can go a long way to keeping your family safe. Never leave food unattended when you are cooking, clean your dryer vent, and use safe practices with seasonal decorations for the best results.
