#3 Most Leading Cause Of House Fires

10/22/2016 (Permalink)

The third most common cause for house Fires is electrical and lighting Fires. These Fires can have multiple origins. Most Fires are caused by equipment malfunction, an overloaded circuit or extension cord, an overheated light bulb, space heater, washer, or dryer. The NFPA calculated that in 2001 there were about 47,700 homes set in flames caused by some sort of electrical failure or malfunction. Unfortunately, there have been 418 deaths, 1,570 injuries and $1.4 billion in property damage just from these Fires! Wiring accounted for 63% of the fires. Of course, there are steps that can be taken to keep you home safer when it comes to Fires. Here are some things you can do to prevent Fires from electrical and lighting: 

• Don’t overload outlets or electrical cords.
• Don’t ever leave Christmas lights, Christmas trees, or halogen lights on overnight or when not at home.
• Make sure you have the right cord for the job – inside cords for inside, heavy duty/outside cords for outdoor use.
• Have an electrician perform an annual checkup of your home’s wiring.

Stay Tuned for 5 more common causes for house Fires and how YOU can prevent them!