6 Most Common Causes of House Fires

House fires are devastating and typically uproot your entire life. By understanding the most common causes of house fires, you can mitigate your risks as much as possible. You can also prepare in case you need to call an Orlando public adjuster to sort out the insurance after a fire.

Cooking

Cooking fires typically become house fires because they have been left unattended. Science shows that the grease or oil used for cooking can ignite if it becomes hot enough on the stove or oven. The fire can then quickly spread, especially if someone tries to put it out with water.

Kitchen fire prevention starts with never leaving your food unattended on the heat, even if it means asking another adult to supervise it. You should also always clean cookware and the kitchen in general to prevent grease buildup.

Electrical Fires

Faulty wiring is typically an invisible danger in your home, as you cannot see the wires inside the wall. Your home wiring may also become damaged during one of Florida’s numerous hurricanes or another event where you would need an Orlando public adjuster.

Inspections before purchase, routine inspections after that, and checks following significant events are the best practices Central Florida Property Claims recommends. You can also confirm the function of your own electrical outlets routinely.

Children

Unfortunately, Central Florida Property Claims sees many fires caused by children playing with fire. These fires are often deadly. Children can cause fires doing everything from playing with lighters to causing electrical outlets to spark.

First, it’s essential to teach children that fire is not a toy. You can also remove all fire starters like matches and lighters to a safe place. Central Florida Property Claims recommends placing them someplace with a lock, as children may climb cabinets and furniture.

Portable Heaters

Most often, space and baseboard heaters cause fires because flammable fabric left near them ignites. However, Central Florida Property Claims has seen fuel heaters spill, electrical heaters with faulty wiring, and wood heaters catch the chimney on fire due to buildups too.

To avoid needing an Orlando public adjuster, ensure that all heaters have adequate space to run. You should also follow any instructions provided with your heater for maximum safety, including the direction to never leave the device unsupervised while running.

Smoking

The NFPA credits smoking with starting around 5% of house fires. Lit cigarettes dropped indoors, including in ashtrays, are incredibly dangerous. Typically, these fires start small and go unnoticed until they are hard to control.

Whenever possible, Central Florida Property Claims recommends smoking outside. If you want to smoke indoors, try not to relax as that increases the risk you will drop the cigarette. Remember always to put cigarettes out if you want to avoid needing an Orlando public adjuster to handle your insurance company.

Candles

Candles create ambiance, release scent, and more. Unfortunately, the open flame is hazardous. Candles are typically easy to knock over or brush against. Then the flame catches on any flammable material, and the hot wax can cause severe burns.

If you do not want to deal with an Orlando public adjuster after a house fire, extinguish all candles before leaving the room properly. Additionally, place candles only on stable surfaces that are unlikely to tip over if bumped.

Need help with your insurance company after a house fire? Reach out to Central Florida Property Claims today.