There are many potential fire hazards in the home that may be overlooked even though they pose a real danger. Here are just a few things that should be avoided:
- Dirty range hood: Grease builds up in a range hood if it is not cleaned periodically which can lead to a fire.
- Dirty towels: Leaving oil soaked towels around can be extremely dangerous. The rags can oxidize and suddenly start a fire. Put rags used from staining furniture or other oil based projects in a water filled metal can and then place a tight lid on it or put the rags outside laying flat to dry.
- Home appliance recalls: It’s always vital to stay current on your appliances and be aware of any recalls that may be made. Thousands of house fires are caused every year by faulty appliances.
- Dryer lint: Many homeowners know that they should routinely clean out their dryer vent in order to increase the dryer’s efficiency but it also is an important safety issue. Dryer lint is a huge fire hazard and when it’s mixed with heat it can cause a fire. Always clean out the vent screen and make a habit to regularly clean out the dryer vent to prevent fires.
- Using electric blankets improperly: Snuggling up with an electric blanket in the middle of winter can be a little luxury but it can also be very dangerous if not used properly. Pets should never lay on top of the blanket and extra blankets shouldn’t be layered over the electric one due to excessive heat build up.
- Allowing your laptop to overheat: Leaving a laptop on a bed, pillow, couch, etc. can block air from flowing through the cooling vents causing the computer to get too hot and possibly catch fire.
- Not using the correct wattage: It’s super important to use the correct wattage bulb in all light fixtures. Using a 60 watt bulb in a fixture meant for a 40 watt bulb can cause an electrical fire.