In a single year, across the globe, electricity accounts for more than 51,000 house fires with more than a billion dollars in property damages. Therefore, understanding the common reasons why home electrical fires can help in preventing such disastrous events altogether.
So, if you want to keep yourself as well as your family safe, then you need to learn about the causes of home electrical fires that we’re going to share in this in-depth guide.
The Significant Reasons Why Home Electrical Fires Take Place
- Using Extension Cords Improperly
As a general rule of thumb, fixtures and appliances should always be plugged into the power outlets directly. According to a professional home inspector in Ventura County CA, extension cords should be used temporarily and they are not at all designed to handle excessive electrical loads. Moreover, when using extension cords, you must remember to not use them on highly flammable surfaces such as rugs & carpets. These cords will produce heat and the heat can later become a fire hazard.
If you want to prevent any sort of home electrical fires, you need to utilize heavy-duty power strips instead. Ensure that you connect to your electrical outlets and safely use your appliances, without overloading the electrical circuit. Furthermore, we suggest taking precautions when decorating for the holidays.
- Being Careful With Space Heaters That Are Portable
In case the place that you live in experiences harsh winter seasons, then using portable space heaters can offer you quite a bit of relief. But, apart from the comfort they tend to provide, they’re also a fire hazard, if improperly utilized.
If you want to be safe when enjoying your space heater, you need to place it in an area where it’s away from curtains, carpets and other flammable products.
That’s why radiation-type space heaters tend to be the best when it comes to indoor usage because they don’t run the risks of starting a house fire. Additionally, remember to shut down your space heater when you’re not using it.
- Replacing Ancient Appliances For Energy & Safety Requirements
Having ancient appliances is not a good sign by any means because old appliances lack the safety features or the efficiency rating like the modern ones. Thus, you’ll rack up high energy usage every month because your appliances are inefficient and they’ll draw more power than similar modern appliances.
Moments like these are when you need to replace your ancient appliances with new-age ones so that you can lower your monthly energy consumption. In that way, you’ll not only be saving your money but also moving forward towards environmental sustainability.
- Choosing The Correct Light Fixtures & Bulbs
As a responsible homeowner, you must know that combining the correct light fixtures with the bulbs will always provide you with the best results. For instance, using a 200W bulb on a fixture that only supports up to 150W will create a fire hazard. Thus, it’s critical to keep these aspects in mind.
Furthermore, we’d suggest replacing old-age electrical wiring, switches and outlets for better energy efficiency. Old wiring & switches tend to heat up and catch fire, which mostly leads to house fires.
