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The Danger of Fire in Your Home | SERVPRO of Long Island City
6/16/2023 (Permalink)
Fires can quickly get out of hand. If you've experienced a house fire recently, call SERVPRO of Long Island City to restore your space.
No matter how you think about it, house fires are a scary experience. While they can remain small and end up just being minor inconveniences, they can also lead to widespread devastation and can be seriously dangerous.
In fact, over 350,000 homes experience some type of fire damage every year in the United States.
The reasons for house fires vary, but there are some more common locations and situations that can spark a fire that quickly grows out of control. Read on as we explain some of the most common places that fire breaks out in households so you can make some changes around your own home.
Half of all house fires begin somewhere in the kitchen. Since we use fire or heat almost every day to cook our meals, that should be no surprise! When heat, flammable material or grease are exposed to each another, fire can spark and spread within a minute in your kitchen.
While you are busy preparing a meal for yourself or your family, stay present in the kitchen and close to your pot or pan. Even just stepping away for a minute provides enough time for a misplaced kitchen towel to catch on fire or a grease bubble to pop and spark.
In addition to remaining close to your food, keep a pot lid nearby so you can quickly throw it over a flame to extinguish it. Remember, never use water on a grease fire, as that will only make the situation worse.
Electrical fires can happen at any time, even if you aren’t in the room or using the electronic device at the time. Faulty wiring or wiggly outlets could lead to an electrical malfunction, or it could heat up your electronics enough to start on fire. Older homes are also more vulnerable to electrical fires due to the aging wiring behind the walls.
While this is less common, lightning strikes can also lead to house fires. If lightning hits your home, it can travel down through your electrical current and zap everything along the way. It not only will ruin your electrical circuits in your home, but a fire could start at any point along the lightning strike’s route.
We are currently enjoying the warm weather on Long Island, but winters can get cold and snowy here! Using portable heaters is a great way to stay warm, but only when used appropriately.
Never leave them plugged in while you are sleeping, and only use them when an adult is present in the room. Kids and pets can easily tip over a space heater and cause a widespread fire to start.
Another fire threat is smoldering cigarettes. Fires caused by cigarettes are often fatal and can lead to devastating consequences. Try to avoid smoking in your house, but certainly do not smoke while you are in bed or if you are feeling tired. Falling asleep with a lit cigarette either in your hand or in an ash tray can be dangerous for your whole family.
No matter how the fire starts in your home, SERVPRO of Long Island City is here to help with the cleanup. Our fire damage restoration team is trained in the latest and most advanced recovery techniques, and we will work hard to restore your home as quickly as we can.
We are here to respond to your call for help day and night. Contact us at SERVPRO of Long Island City!