You might have regular electrical inspections and a working fire alarm, however, there may be many more fire hazards in your home that could be putting you and your family at risk. Here are some of the most surprising fire hazards that you can fix before they cause danger in your home.
Dishwashers
This might be quite surprising; however, your dishwasher can pose a serious fire hazard once water gets into the circuit boards and other heating mechanisms, which causes the dishwasher to short-circuit. This is most likely to happen if the dishwasher has been installed incorrectly or when it is coming to the end of its life and needs replacing.
Messy Kitchens
Many home fires start in the kitchen simply because it is messy and disorganized. This is because there are a lot of items that could be lying around that ignite quickly when exposed to an open flame or an overheated appliance, such as paper towels and oven mittens. Furthermore, having a messy or dirty stove can make the risk of fire even greater since additional grease and flammable grime will ignite quickly and prevent you from containing the fire before it’s too late.
Laptops
Laptops are an extremely popular piece of electrical equipment to have around the home these days, however, did you know that they can overheat and cause a fire when left on a flammable surface for too long? It would take a long time for the laptop to get so hot that it could start a fire, however, it can happen, and leaving it on is a serious risk on furniture such as a bed or sofa. Nevertheless, most recent models shut down or go into sleep mode automatically so that they aren’t posing a fire hazard, so replace outdated versions if you want to be as safe as possible.
Dust
Dusting your home might seem like a mundane chore, however, there is more to cleaning dust than making your home look all nice and sparkly. The dust can pose a fire hazard when it covers heaters and electrical sockets since it will quickly ignite and help to spread the fire around the home much faster. Dust can accumulate anywhere, but it is easier to spot when your home is tidy, so be aware that messy homes are at a greater risk of fire than tidy, clean ones.
Exposed Lightbulbs
Exposed lightbulbs may be a cause for concern if enclosed in an area such as a closet since they get hotter than intended, with some reaching 290-500 degrees Fahrenheit, which is enough to melt a tennis ball. When the bulb is hanging high or with plenty of space surrounding it, they do not usually pose a risk since a 60-watt lightbulb will not get any hotter than 175 degrees.
To be on the safe side, prevent fires from getting out of control by installing preventative equipment such as sprinklers and fire alarms using a reputable company such as APFECorp.com.
Keep on top of your home safety by maintaining a clean and tidy home with up-to-date electrical equipment and always ensure that you get a professional to install large appliances.