5 of the Leading Culprits in House Fires (and how to prevent them)

It’s time to “burn” away the most popular sources of house fires in your home. While it is unlikely you’ll be able to eliminate these risks altogether there are best practices for minimizing your home’s risk. The list of house fire causes is never-ending but, what we have compiled for you is a set of the “hot” items that lead the pack for house fire causing culprits.

It is easy to think that you will be the exception to the rule, as it’s common for people to take on the “it won’t happen to me” mentality. The fact of the matter, however, is that house fires can happen to anyone and they can cause devastating damage.

Here are some of the leading causes for house fires and a few tips on how to mitigate their risk (because this is an insurance blog after all and one of our favorite topics is how to minimize risks):

• Cooking Fires – we are guilty of this too but, try to limit how much you multitask while cooking. It is easy to get distracted and forget about what you are cooking when your brain is going in 100 different directions.
• Heating Units (Space Heaters) – it gets chilly in the winter months here in Michigan, but space heaters can be bad news. If you must use them, make sure they are only on for short periods of time and not left unattended.
• Appliances & Electrical – these are some of the hardest to catch but it is important to check your appliances regularly and to ensure your home’s electrical wiring and outlets are all up-to-code and functioning properly.
  • Bonus Tip: Never leave your home with the oven, dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer running. These appliances sometimes have a habit of catching fire and if you are home and notice the fire you stand a good chance of being able to minimize the damage.
• Candles – we get it: they smell amazing, and we would never want to kill your vibe, just make sure you take the extra minute before you leave your home to make sure they are extinguished. Also, be sure to keep them in locations away from items that may move and come into contact with the flame (paper, drapes, blankets, etc.)
• Smoking – the best way to avoid a house fire caused by this is to only smoke outside your home and away from exterior structures. You should always be sure to put your cigarette out prior to disposing of it.

The unfortunate reality is no matter how much you prepare accidents can always happen. There is nothing you can do to make sure you are completely risk free, but taking the above tips into consideration could decrease the chances of this happening to your home.

Have any questions about what you just read? Please contact your Independent Insurance Agent or email us at socialmedia@psmic.com!