The average home has plenty of sources of fire — cooktops, wiring, pilot lights — and plenty of materials that can burn. That's why every family needs to know the basics of fire prevention and fire safety. Here are the biggest risks and how to minimize them.
Start in the Kitchen
Careless cooking is the number one cause of house fires. Follow this advice when using your stovetop or oven:
- Never leave your cooking unattended.
- Turn pot handles towards the back of the stove so you can't accidentally bump them and so children can't reach them.
- Wipe up spilled grease as soon as it's cool enough to touch.
- When handling hot cookware, wear heat-resistant oven mitts.
- Keep fabric away from burners. Flowing sleeves, curtains, towels and other fabrics ignite at about 400 degrees, and your burners are much hotter.
In addition, keep your oven and other cooking appliances — toaster, toaster oven, grill, microwave and the like — free of crumbs and grease, and in top condition.
Finally, use your appliances for their intended use only — don't operate an empty microwave and don't use your oven as a source of heat — following the instructions in your owner's manual. You can download your owner's manuals here.
Play It Cool with Hot Stuff
Sources of heat — such as fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, furnaces and water heaters — require similar safety practices:
- Have them cleaned and inspected each year.
- Guard sources of open flames — such as fireplaces — with a screen.
- Move combustible materials away from heat sources. The list includes paper, wood, rugs, curtains, rags, cleaning products, paints and solvents.
Space heaters are especially dangerous if used improperly. Don't leave the heater unattended while it's on. Keep it at least three feet from anything that might burn, including the wall and don't plug the heater into an extension cord. If you have a gas space heater, strike your match before turning on the gas.
Your clothes dryer seems safe enough, but like anything that heats up, it can cause a fire. Clean the lint screen every time you use your dryer, and clean the duct and vent once a year. Don't put plastic, foam, rubber or other materials that retain heat in the dryer and don't leave the dryer running when you're away from the house.
TVs, stereos, computers and powerful lamps need air space around them to prevent overheating.
Don't Strain Your Circuits
The wiring in your home feeds into a circuit box or, if your electrical system is old, a fuse fox. Each circuit switch or fuse controls one or more electrical outlets in your house. When the circuit is overloaded, the circuit breaker switch flips from On to Off, or the fuse "blows" — the filament in it turns black.
No matter how well built your electrical system is, your circuits are vulnerable to overloading — and fire — if you push them too far. Here's how to stay within safe bounds:
- Don't use "octopus" plugs or outlet extensions that hold several plugs. Computer surge protector outlets are okay because they have their own breaker to protect the system. If you must use an extension cord, don't use one that is worn or frayed, and don't run it under carpets or twist it around a nail or hook.
- Don't plug in any appliance that has frayed or cracked wires.
- In lamps and light fixtures, only use light bulbs that have the wattage listed on the fixture, or lower — 60 watts is a common maximum.
- If lights dim when an appliance goes on, TV pictures shrink, appliances are slow to heat, or your circuit breaker trips frequently, your home's electrical service is too small and is overloading. Call a qualified electrician.
- Do not use oversized fuses — a 30-amp fuse in a 15-amp socket, for example. Use only the fuse size listed on the fuse box.
- If a circuit breaker trips or a fuse blows frequently, immediately reduce the number of appliances on the circuit (the ones on the circuit are those that don't work when the circuit is tripped or the fuse is blown).
- Buy a circuit tester to check that your receptacles are grounded and not loose — wiggle the tester when it is plugged in; if tit moves, the receptacle is loose.
- Check visible wires and light fixtures to be sure they are properly attached.
- If a fixture is sparking, turn off power to it — switch the circuit breaker that controls it or, if you have a fuse box instead, unscrew the fuse. Then call an electrician at once.
Finally, only buy electrical devised that bear the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) symbol of approval.
Handle Flammables with Care
If you read the labels of the products stored under your sink and in your basement, you might be surprised at how many of them caution you to keep them away from open flame. Flammable liquids such as solvents and gasoline don't belong in the house — store them in approved safety containers in a properly vented garage or in a storage shed.
When adding gas to machines such as lawn mowers, wait until machines are cool and stay clear of enclosed areas, sparks or other heat sources. Before starting the newly fueled machine, move away from the fumes lingering in the air — at least 10 feet — so the spark of ignition won't ignite the fumes.
Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors are your best early warning of a fire. Install a smoke detector on every level of your home and outside the sleeping areas.
Maintenance is critical — test every detector monthly by pushing the test button. Keep your smoke detectors dust free and replace the batteries twice a year. If your smoke detectors are wired directly into your electrical system, be sure the little signal light is blinking, telling you that the alarm is active.
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