C.J. Braden • 3 Minute Read
Hidden Fire Hazards To Watch Out For In Your Home
Home fires can start for all kinds of reasons. While cooking and smoking are the most obvious causes, there are many other common fire hazards around the home that are much less obvious. Read on to learn some of the hidden fire hazards to look out for in your home.
Forgotten candles tend to be a common house fire hazard
1- Dryer Lint Build-Up
Clean your dryer lint after each use
When placing clothing in a tumble dryer, fibers often come off the clothing during the process. These fibers can create build-ups of fluff called lint that need to be cleaned up. Lint can be very flammable - it doesn’t help that dryers produce a lot of heat, which can make it very easy for this lint to catch fire if not removed.
Many dryers have vents for collecting lint that you can clean yourself. However, in some cases you may have to hire a dryer vent cleaning service. This should ideally be done once per year to stop lint from clogging vents and becoming a fire hazard.
2- Toaster Crumbs
Clean your toaster tray after each use
Crumbs can often accumulate at the bottom of toasters. If these crumbs aren’t cleaned out, they can end up being continuously reheated until they eventually catch fire. This is a common cause of kitchen fires (particularly if you’re the type of person that leaves their toaster unattended).
Regularly clean out any crumbs from your toaster to reduce the risk of a fire. Many toasters have a removable crumb tray that you can easily shake off into a bin, although there may still be stuck crumbs that may need to be scrubbed off using a cloth or toothbrush. Always wait until your toaster is unplugged and cool before cleaning it.
3- Faulty Electrical Outlets
Using GFCI plugs in kitchen and bathrooms may be required by code
If electrical outlets have stopped working, it could be a sign that wiring has come loose. Such outlets could potentially be a fire hazard as there could be exposed wiring inside the outlet that could come into contact with flammable dust or wood within the structure of your home.
Once an outlet starts experiencing issues - whether it be a plug socket or light fitting - you should always turn it off and get it fixed before using it again (call an electrician if you don’t know what you’re doing). Devices that don’t charge, flickering lights and circuit breaker trips are all signs that an outlet may be experiencing problems. Be very wary of odd burning smells or black marks around outlets.
If you love this article, we know you’ll love this one too: The Best DIY Computer Cord Organization
4- Overloaded Sockets/Extension Leads
Home offices tend to be full of overloaded sockets
Sockets and extension leads are only designed to handle a certain current limit. Exceed this limit, and the socket or extension lead can overheat and potentially cause a fire.
This is why it’s important to watch what you’re plugging into each socket. Many heavy-duty appliances shouldn’t share a socket with any other appliances as this is likely to exceed the current limit.
Are your cords crazy in your home office? That’s a fire hazard! Try this cord organizing hack via my YouTube channel “Carolyn Braden” or below to make your home office safer:
5- Poorly Located Candles
Candles are a home fire hazard
Many fires are also caused by candles - particularly putting candles in the wrong places. It’s easy to forget that candles are open flames and that they can easily start fires if knocked over or placed too near a fabric.
If you have kids or pets, you should be very careful of putting candles on ledges where they can be easily knocked over. You should also avoid placing candles near stacks of paper or books. Also watch out for curtains near open windows - a candle on a windowsill or table near a window could easily get knocked by a curtain caught in the breeze. Better yet, try flameless candles to be even safer.
C.J. (Carolyn) Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Ways To Help You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.
This is a collaborative post and may contain affiliate links. All opinions and ideas expressed in this post, however, are based on my personal point of view.