The Five Main Causes of Fire Damage

Fires are one of the scariest possibilities for any homeowner. Even if the fire is put out before anyone is harmed, it is still likely that your home will be at least moderately damaged as a result. There are several different ways for fires to start in your home, but there are a few causes of fires that stand out from the others. If you ever suffer from fire damage from any these reasons, it is important that you contact a qualified restoration company as soon as possible. In the Hutchinson, Kansas area, Stover’s Restoration is here for you to restore your home after a fire.

Based on data from the United States Fire Administration, these are five of the most common causes of fires in order that led to injuries in 2015 and a couple tips on how to avoid them from happening to you:

Cooking (35.7%)

Not surprisingly, fires started in the kitchen are almost three times more common than any other type of fire. The reason fires in the kitchen are so prominent is because there are so many different heat sources throughout your kitchen that are all potential fire starters. In the most basic kitchen, there’s a stove, oven, microwave, and a toaster. Most people have other heat sources they bring into their kitchen as well. The key to preventing fires in the kitchen is being mindful of your surrounding and being careful around heat sources. Also, you should wipe up any grease or fat that gets spilled on your counter since it can allow the smallest spark to turn into a big fire.

Unintentional Carelessness (11.3%)

There’s not much that can be added to this common cause of house fires. Take care to turn heat sources off when you’re not using them and just be smart.

Open Flames (8.5%)

The greatest open flame cause of fires are burning candles. Candles are very nice and a great ambiance to your home. However, you should consider using candles that don’t require an open, burning flame. Fortunately, there are plenty of other options out there that will keep your home smelling just as great.

Electrical Malfunction (6.8%)

An electrical malfunction leading into a fire is fairly rare but it makes the list because there is a multitude of different ways for an electrical malfunction to lead to a fire. For example, overloading a power strip or an outlet, bad wires or circuits, and faulty light fixtures. You can prevent this from happening by regularly checking up on the condition of wires and light fixtures and being wise about not overloading anything with too much power at one time.

Other Heat Sources (6.1%)

Along with everything that has already been discussed, there are still multiple heat sources throughout your home. The most notorious of those heat sources that lead to fires are space heaters. Space heaters are a great luxury during the cold winter months. However, give them a three-foot radius from anything in your home especially fabrics and such that are flammable.

By following these suggestions, you should be safe from the vast majority of threats that cause house fires. If that ever happens to you and you’re in the Hutchinson area, don’t hesitate to call the pros at Stovers Restoration.