Most people think that they know everything they need to know about fire hazards in the home. Of course, much of fire prevention is simply common sense—don’t dry wet clothes on the heater or smoke cigarettes in bed—and we’ve even come to accept the not-so-obvious hazards like overloaded sockets or improperly vented clothes dryers. But just because we manage to avoid the most egregiously dangerous behaviors doesn’t mean flammable hazards aren’t still lurking in the home. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, someone dies in a home fire about once every three hours, and residential fires did more than seven billion dollars worth of damage in 2006 alone.
It’s a good time to check your home for potentials hazards. Because although your gutters might be clean and your fire extinguisher serviced, danger can lurk in the most unexpected places.
Dust and Lint Disasters
There’s no shame in having a few dust bunnies around the house, but they can cause problems if they build up next to floor heaters or other electronics. Large amounts of dust and lint near sockets or power strips can act like kindling if sparks fly. They can also clog electrical outlets or heater intake valves, eventually getting hot enough to combust. Even if your appliances are new and properly spaced, it’s still not a guarantee against electrical fires. Twice as many electrical fires are started by old or faulty wiring than by the appliances themselves.
Although vacuuming is already time consuming, it’s worth spending a few extra minutes behind entertainment centers to clear out any dust or hair that’s accumulated on the floor near cords and power supplies. Using a hose or crevice tool, it’s also a good idea to pass over outlets and power strips to remove any dust that’s settled into the holes.
The Hottest Electronics
If you have a video gaming system like an Xbox or a Playstation 3, you’d be wise to carefully consider where they’re placed in the home. These units have interior fans to keep their processors cool, but they can very easily become overheated, especially when they’re stored near other electronics or closed in an entertainment center. These gadgets should go on their own shelf, with nothing above or below them, and the door to the shelving unit should always be open while using the devices.
Laptop computers also have a tendency to overheat. Although they too have CPU fans, they can get extremely hot, to the point of causing fires and burns. Many companies make a platform to put your laptop on, so that even while it’s sitting on your desk, there’s air circulating around and underneath it. Make sure that any electronics prone to overheating are stored out in the open and away from papers, cloth, and debris. The intakes for the fans can sometimes become clogged with lint, so be sure to remove any buildup regularly so that the fans can function as they should.
Oven Overload
Cooking accidents are the leading cause of household fires. On some electric kitchen stoves, the burners get hot when the oven is on, because heat vents through the top. If you have a traditional electric coil stove, make sure that you don’t leave anything on the stovetop while the oven is on. The heat venting from the stove is usually enough to burn plastic, char pots and pans, and start fires with just about anything on top of it. When I was a girl, a babysitter once left a box of brownies on top of the stove while heating the oven, and I was terribly mad at her when the box caught fire, rendering the brownie mix inedible.
Oxygen in Use
It’s not uncommon to walk into a home or office and see a sign on the door saying “Oxygen in Use.” It’s important not to smoke around oxygen users, but not just because the smoke is bad for their lungs. Oxygen is extremely flammable—the oxygen in the air is what causes all fires to burn—and a cigarette or a lighter could easily start a blaze. If someone in your home uses oxygen, or you visit the home of someone who does, make sure to exercise special caution while smoking or handling open flames. It’s a better idea to refrain from lighting fires or burning candles at all.
