The Problem of House Fires & What Causes Them | SERVPRO of South Atlanta

11/9/2021 (Permalink)

Regardless of the cause, SERVPRO of South Atlanta is here for you if your home is affected by fire.

Owning a home is a great way to invest in your future and your family. That’s why we must do everything we can to protect our investment. But despite decades of ad campaigns promoting fire safety, we still see more than a quarter of all reported fires occurring in homes.

That’s why we’re taking a few minutes to step through the most common causes of house fires. Let’s work together to get those numbers down.

| Cooking | 

Something as simple as cooking dinner can be a risk for house fires. Almost half of all house fires begin in the kitchen, and most come from unattended cooking. The best thing you can do while cooking is to remain in the kitchen the entire time when using the oven, stove or a grill.

| Heating Equipment | 

Fewer and fewer house fires start because of heating equipment, but it’s still the reason for 14% of house fires. These fires can result from a piece of equipment malfunctioning or being placed too close to something flammable. Portable space heaters are the main culprit, so it’s imperative to pay close attention when using them.

| Electrical Fires | 

Electrical fires are more common in older homes, but because of frayed wires or faulty outlets, they can happen in any home. Take care to never overload electrical outlets, and avoid using frayed wires or cords. If your house is relatively old, have the electrical system inspected regularly.

| Intentional Fires | 

There are more than 28,000 intentional home fires started every year. And by intentional, we mean they have been purposefully set with the intention of destruction, as opposed to a fire set for another purpose getting out of hand.

| Smoking Materials |

 Despite items like cigarettes being responsible for only 5% of house fires, they are the leading cause of civilian fire deaths. Oftentimes these fires are started because cigarettes or ashes are left burning when people fall asleep.

*Regardless of the cause, SERVPRO of South Atlanta is here for you if your home is affected by fire or smoke damage. Contact your locally owned SERVPRO team, SERVPRO of South Atlanta today at (404) 505-1760 for immediate service or visit www.SERVPROsouthatlanta.com to see how we can help.