Most household fires aren’t caused by gas ovens or smoking - the biggest cause is still electricity. There are a few different ways in which an electrical fire can start. This post explores 7 of the common causes.
Leaving a portable heater on while asleep
Portable heaters are a common cause of household fires. If placed too near a curtain or allowed to fall over on a carpet, there’s a risk that a fire could break out. This is why you shouldn’t fall asleep with a portable heater left on in the room - there’s more risk that it could fall over or that a curtain could get caught on it, and you won’t be awake to notice it. Modern portable heaters are a lot safer, but you should still turn them off before going to sleep just as a precaution.
Plugging too many appliances into a single socket
Sockets are only designed to carry a certain level of current. Plugging too many appliances into a single socket can cause the socket to exceed its maximum current and overheat. Extension cables and multi-socket adaptors can make it easy to plug too many appliances into a single socket. You should be very careful about what you plug into these extension devices.
Using the wrong light bulb
Using a bulb with too high a wattage for the socket could cause the light bulb to overheat. This has been known to lead to fires as it can cause the socket to melt. You can avoid this from happening by always checking the wattage of a bulb before buying it.
Placing flammable items near lightbulbs
Lightbulbs can produce quite a bit of heat. Putting a cloth over a lamp or accidentally putting a lamp too close to a flammable item like a deodorant can could start a fire. Make a habit of keeping anything potentially flammable away from lights.
Carrying out DIY electrics
Carrying out your own electrical work when you don’t know what you’re doing is very risky. Wires and components that aren’t fitted properly could lead to fires in the future. Hiring a local electrician is recommended for any electrical job that you are not completely confident doing. You can then be certain it will be completely safe.
Not Checking Appliances
One of the biggest issues that homeowners face when it comes to the causes of electrical fires is that they don’t check devices or appliances properly. We’ve already talked about the dangers of not updating appliances, but one of the things you need to do better is to make sure you check appliances. This isn’t like DIYing it, where you need to have a basic knowledge of how they work, even. Instead, you are checking the appliance to make sure there is nothing untoward happening. Is it working the same as it always does? Is it turning off and on as normal? Does it have a neon indicator, and is the indicator working? Are your appliances making strange noises?
These are all important and pertinent questions that you need to consider if you are serious about coming up with some of the best aspects that play a role in protecting your home. Preventing electrical fires is hugely important, and you need to do the best you can to try to reduce the risk of them. Checking your appliances thoroughly will help you to achieve this.
Clinging onto old appliances
Very old appliances could also be a fire risk. The wiring is likely to start to degrade in these appliances, which could lead to electrical faults. Frequent circuit breaker trips are a sure sign that an appliance has become dangerous to use - get rid of appliances once they start causing circuit breaker trips.
Not updating old electrics
Old worn electrics are the biggest cause of electrical fires. They are more commonly found in older homes with aged wiring. You can usually tell if your home’s electrics need replacing if you experience signs like flickering lights, frequent circuit breaker trips or outlets not producing power. You should be particularly concerned by burning smells, buzzing sounds or blackened outlets.
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