Top 5 Common Causes of Fire Damage, What Are the Next Steps?

There are many reasons that fires happen. Read here to find out the top five common causes of fire damage and what your next steps should be.

Keyword(s): fire damage, most common cause of fire, electrical short

Did you know that more than 358,000 homes in the United States experience a structure fire in an average year? On top of that, house fires were responsible for about $7 billionin property damage over the course of five years. About one out of every hundred fires leads to an injury.

It is vital that everyone learn about how to prevent fires in their home at one point or another. The fact is that just a few fire damage causes are responsible for the vast majority of fires.

It is unfortunate that so many people make the same few mistakes and end up paying such a high price by doing so. However, there is a silver lining. Avoiding the few most common causes of fire damage is often enough to reduce your risk of a fire to almost zero.

So, what are some of the top common causes of fire damage, and what can you do after suffering from fire damage?

Read on to learn all about the most vital things to understand about the causes of fire damage and what you can do about such damage!

1. House Fires Often Originate in the Kitchen

When it comes to the most common cause of fire damage, you need look no further than the kitchen. When you stop and think about it, this makes sense. After all, kitchens often contain actual flames or at least objects that get extremely hot on a regular basis.

There are a few different ways that people often end up causing fires in the kitchen by accident. For example, many people make mistakes when dealing with a cooking oil fire.

If you heat up cooking oil too much, it will burst into flame. All by itself, that does not need to lead to a house fire. However, many people respond to a cooking oil fire by dumping water on top of it.

The water you add to a cooking fire will quickly evaporate, carrying the flames into the air. It is much safer to put the top on a pan carrying cooking oil or use something like baking soda to help put out the fire.

It is also vital to attend to anything you are cooking in the kitchen. Many house fires start because people leave something heating up in the kitchen for hours after forgetting about it.

2. Heating Systems Can Lead to Fires

Even milder heat can lead to fires if given enough time. Many types of fire are the result of problems with heating systems.

For example, you might use a portable heater to keep a certain room warm. However, if you leave that heater blowing on a flammable material for hours and hours, it may eventually cause it to catch on fire.

In other cases, fire damage causes originate from letting heating tools heat themselves up through hours and hours of use. If you use a portable heater, it’s important to keep it away from anything that could catch fire, as well as to give the heater a break once in a while.

On top of that, if you have a furnace in your home, you’ll want to make sure that it receives regular inspections. Otherwise, burgeoning problems could eventually lead to a fire in your home.

3. Smoking Is a Common Cause of Fires

Smoking is another one of the most common fire causes that you can try to avoid. Many people do not realize how long cigarettes can stay lit even after you finish with them. If you are not careful to snuff out the flame, an old cigarette can remain a potential fire hazard for hours.

All of these problems are twice as serious in the bedroom. Many people fail to put out a cigarette they have before bed, leaving it burning in a room full of materials that can easily catch fire. On top of that, fires that start in the bedroom are more likely to lead to injuries or death.

4. An Electrical Short Can Cause a Fire

In principle, almost any electrical device can present a potential fire hazard. If any of your devices have old cords, those cords might lead to sparks that can start a fire. If you try to use too many devices on the same plug at the same time, that can also lead to fire damage.

5. Children Can Start Fires by Accident

Children sometimes start fires because they are not aware of the potential fire hazards around them. It is important to keep matches, lighters, and similar devices away from where children might be able to access them.

Finding the Right Fire Damage Repairs for You

If your home has already suffered from fire damage, it is better to repair it sooner rather than later. That way, the damage done will have less time to develop and become worse.

Try to find a service that has a long history of experience helping people with fire damage repairs. You might find it helpful to look at ratings and reviews to help you pick a quality fire damage restoration company.

Know About the Top Causes of Fire Damage

At the end of the day, there are only so many things that tend to lead to fire damage. Knowing more about the top causes of fire damage can help you keep your home as safe as possible. If you have already experienced fire damage, it is vital that you find the best fire damage restoration services possible.

To learn more about how you can find the right fire damage restoration options for your needs, reach out and get in touch with us at any time!