Warning: Four Common Household Fire Starters

Blog posted On March 15, 2017

House fires are devastating tragedies that may lead to substantive loss of property and even injury or fatality.  The National Fire Protection Association attributes electrical failure or malfunction as the cause of over 47,000 fires annually. 

Taking precautions like installing smoke detectors and upgrading appliances can relieve some of the fire risk.  However, these four common household objects can put you at risk, and you may not even know about it.

• Dishwashers – even though water runs through the dishwasher, it can still overheat. Any appliance with a motor or heating element can cause a fire, and dishwashers have both.
• Jars and other glass objects – the reflection of the sun through empty glass onto dry material, like a jar next to some blinds, can ignite a blaze.
• Rodents – when household pests chew through electrical lines and expose wires they are increasing the chance of an electrical fire.
• Laptops – in addition to heating up during use, laptops contain lithium ion batteries that can erupt into flames when overheated.

Protect your home and your family when you take care to spot possible fire starters in unexpected places.  For more information, visit the National Fire Protection Association’s website.

Sources: National Fire Protection Association, Realtor.com