Fire Risks in Your Home

2/28/2021 (Permalink)

The holidays lead to the highest instance of residential fires each year. But just because the holidays are over, it doesn’t mean you’re in the clear as far as the risk of home fires go. Unintentional home fires can occur at any time of year, and according to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), are caused by four main activities: cooking, heating, using electrical equipment, and smoking. Knowing some of the main risk factors of home fires can help you be on alert throughout the seasons, and decrease the chances of a fire occurring in your own home.

On average, fire departments in the U.S. respond to 350,000 home structure fires each year, which result in 2,620 civilian deaths, 11,220 injuries, and $6.9 billion in property damage. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and injuries, causing more than 170,000 fires annually, but smoking is the leading cause of home fire deaths. Fires caused by smoking account for 4.5x more deaths than do fires of any other category. Similarly, space heaters account for a disproportional amount of fire-related deaths (16%), considering they cause only 4% of home fires.

Other fire facts to be aware of are that the instance home fires peak nightly between 5pm and 8pm, and peak weekly on Saturdays and Sundays. Alcohol is also often a factor in the cause and result of home fires; impairment can affect how safely heating or cooking equipment is used, and can inhibit residents from getting to safety after a fire has started.

If you ask us here at SERVPRO of Lockport, Lemont, Homer Glen, keeping an eye on the safety instructions for all cooking, heating, and electrical equipment, and never cooking or smoking while excessively tired or under the influence is a New Year’s Resolution worth keeping!