Fire is one of the most devastating and dangerous hazards affecting your home. According to statistics by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 1.3 million fires were reported in the United States in 2020, leading to 3,700 civilian deaths, 16,600 injuries, and $14.8 billion in property damage. Of these fires, 39% occurred in residential properties, such as houses, apartments, and mobile homes. Knowing where and how fires start in your home can help you prevent them and protect yourself and your family from harm. This article will explore the most common places that fires occur in the home, their causes and risks, and the tips and precautions to avoid them.
Kitchen
The kitchen is the most common place for fires to start, accounting for 49% of all home fires in 2020.
The main cause of kitchen fires is cooking, especially when it involves frying, boiling, or broiling food. Cooking fires can easily ignite when food, oil, grease, or other flammable materials come into contact with an open flame, a hot surface, or an electrical spark. Cooking fires can also spread quickly to other items in the kitchen, such as curtains, towels, paper, or plastic.
To prevent kitchen fires, follow these safety tips:
Never Leave Your Cooking Unattended. Stay in the kitchen while preparing food, especially if using high heat or cooking with oil or grease. If you must leave the kitchen, turn off the stove or oven or ask someone else to watch your food.
Keep the Flammables Away from the Stove, Oven, or Other Heat Sources. Move anything that can catch fire, such as dish towels, oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, or paper products, at least three feet away from the heat.
Wear Appropriate Clothing and Accessories When Cooking. Avoid wearing loose or dangling sleeves, jewelry, or hair that can catch fire or get caught in the cooking equipment. Tie back your hair, roll up your sleeves, and use aprons or gloves to protect yourself.
Clean Your Cooking Equipment Regularly. Flammable items like grease and food residue can build up on your stove, oven, microwave, toaster, or other appliances and cause a fire. After each use, wipe down your cooking surfaces and appliances and remove any crumbs or spills.
Use a Timer and Check Your Food Often. Overcooking or burning your food can cause a fire or smoke. Set a timer and watch your food frequently to ensure it is cooked properly and not overdone.
Keep a Fire Extinguisher Handy and Know How to Use It. A fire extinguisher can help you put out a small fire before it gets out of control. Ensure you have a fire extinguisher suitable for kitchen fires, such as a Class B or a multipurpose extinguisher, and keep it in an accessible location. Learn how to use it properly and follow the instructions on the label.
Bedroom
The bedroom is another common place for fires to start, accounting for 7% of all home fires in 2020. The main cause of bedroom fires is heating equipment, such as space heaters, electric blankets, or fireplaces.
Heating equipment can overheat, malfunction, or ignite nearby combustibles like bedding, clothing, furniture, or curtains. Smoking, candles, or electrical faults can also cause bedroom fires.
To prevent bedroom fires, you should follow these safety tips:
Keep Heating Equipment Away from Flammable Items. Place space heaters, electric blankets, or fireplaces at least three feet away from anything that can burn, and turn them off or unplug them when not in use or when you leave the room or go to bed.
Inspect and Maintain Your Heating Equipment Regularly. Check your heating equipment for any damage, such as frayed cords, cracked plugs, or broken parts, and replace or repair them as needed. Clean and service your heating equipment according to the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations.
Choose Heating Equipment that Has Safety Features and Certifications. Look for heating equipment that has a tip-over switch, a thermostat, a timer, or an automatic shut-off feature that can prevent overheating or fire. Also, look for heating equipment labeled from a recognized testing laboratory, like UL, ETL, or CSA, indicating that it meets safety standards.
Never smoke in bed or the bedroom. Smoking is a major cause of fire deaths in the home, and smoking in bed or the bedroom can be especially dangerous. Cigarettes, cigars, or pipes can ignite your bedding, clothing, or furniture or fall into the trash and start a fire. If you smoke, do it outside and use a sturdy ashtray to dispose of your smoking materials.
Be Careful With Candles and Other Open Flames. Candles create a relaxing and romantic atmosphere but also cause a fire if left unattended or placed near flammable items.
If you use candles in the bedroom, keep them away from your bed, curtains, or other combustible materials, and use a candle holder that is stable and heat-resistant. Never burn candles when you leave the room or go to sleep; blow them out completely.
Inspect Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors. These devices alert you and your family in case of a fire or a gas leak in the bedroom. Ensure you install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in every bedroom and outside each sleeping area, and test them each month to ensure they are working.
Replace the batteries twice annually or whenever you hear a low-battery chirp. Replace the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors every 10 years or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Living Room
The living room is the third most common place for fires to start in the home, accounting for 4% of all fires in 2020. The main cause of living room fires is electrical equipment, such as TVs, lamps, computers, or gaming consoles.
Electrical equipment can cause a fire if they are overloaded, damaged, or misused. Candles, fireplaces, or smoking can also cause living room fires.
To prevent living room fires, follow these safety tips:
Use electrical equipment safely and properly. Plug electrical equipment directly into a wall outlet, and don’t use extension cords or power strips. Do not overload the outlets or circuits; use surge protectors to prevent power surges.
Unplug electrical equipment when not in use or when you leave the home. Check electrical equipment for any damage, such as frayed wires, loose connections, or exposed heating elements, and repair or replace them.
Keep electrical equipment away from flammable items. Place electrical equipment at least three feet away from anything that can burn, such as curtains, rugs, or furniture.
Do not place electrical equipment near water sources, such as sinks, tubs, or aquariums. Do not cover electrical equipment with cloth, paper, or plastic, which can cause overheating or fire.
Choose electrical equipment that has safety features and certifications. Look for electrical equipment that has a timer, a thermostat, or an automatic shut-off feature that can prevent overheating or fire. Also, look for electrical equipment labeled from a certified testing laboratory, such as UL, ETL, or CSA, indicating that it meets safety standards.
Be careful with candles and other open flames. Candles give a cozy and festive atmosphere, but they can also cause a fire if left unattended or placed near flammable items.
If you use candles in the living room, keep them away from your TV, books, or other combustible materials, and use a candle holder that is stable and heat-resistant. Never burn candles when you leave the room or go to sleep; blow them out completely.
Inspect and maintain your fireplace and chimney. A fireplace can provide warmth and comfort but can also be a source of fire or carbon monoxide poisoning if not cleaned and maintained.
To inspect and maintain your fireplace and chimney, look for cracks, creosote buildup, or obstructions, such as bird nests or leaves. Use a fireplace screen to keep sparks in check.
You should also have your fireplace and chimney professionally cleaned and inspected at least once a year, or more often, if you use it frequently.
Never smoke in the living room or the home. Smoking is a major cause of fire deaths in the home, and smoking in the living room or the home can be especially dangerous.
Cigarettes, cigars, or pipes can ignite your furniture, curtains, or carpets, fall into the trash, and start a fire. If you smoke, do it outside and use a sturdy ashtray to dispose of your smoking materials.
What Are the Most Common Sources of House Fires?
Knowing the most common sources of house fires and how to prevent them can help protect your home and your family from harm. This section will discuss the top five causes of house fires based on the NFPA data and provide some tips and precautions to avoid them.
Cooking
Cooking is among the leading causes of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States, accounting for 49% of all home fires and 44% of all home fire injuries in 2020.
Cooking fires can start when food, oil, grease, or other flammable materials come into contact with an open flame, a hot surface, or an electrical spark. Cooking fires can also spread quickly to other items in the kitchen, such as curtains, towels, paper, or plastic.
Heating
Heating is the second major cause of home fires and home fire deaths in the United States, accounting for 14% of all home fires and 19% of all home fire deaths in 2020.
Heating fires can start when heating equipment, such as space heaters, electric blankets, or fireplaces, overheat, malfunction, or ignite nearby combustible materials, such as bedding, clothing, furniture, or curtains. Heating fires can also produce carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless, deadly gas that can cause poisoning or suffocation.
Electrical
Electrical is the third leading cause of home fires and related deaths in the United States, accounting for 9% of all home fires and 15% of all home fire deaths in 2020.
Electrical fires can start when electrical equipment, such as TVs, lamps, computers, or gaming consoles, is overloaded, damaged, or misused. Electrical fires can also start when electrical wiring, outlets, or circuits are faulty, outdated, or improperly installed. Electrical fires can produce sparks, flames, or smoke that can ignite other flammable materials in your home.
Intentional
Intentional is the fourth leading cause of home fires and deaths in the United States, accounting for 7% of all home fires and 8% of all home fire deaths in 2020.
Intentional fires are fires that are deliberately set by someone, either for malicious, criminal, or suicidal purposes. Intentional fires can start anywhere in your home, using any flammable material, such as gasoline, matches, or lighter fluid. Intentional fires can cause severe damage to your property and endanger your life and the lives of others.
Other Causes of House Fire
Some other causes of house fires are:
Smoking. Smoking is the biggest cause of home fire deaths in the United States, accounting for 5% of all home fires and 23% of all home fire deaths in 2020.
Smoking fires can start when cigarettes, cigars, or pipes ignite furniture, bedding, or trash or when smokers fall asleep with lit smoking materials. To prevent smoking fires, you should smoke outside, use a sturdy ashtray, and wet the ashes before disposing of them.
Candles. Candles are the fifth major cause of home fires and fire-related injuries in the United States, accounting for 2% of all home fires and 3% of all home fire injuries in 2020. Candle fires can start when candles are left unattended, placed near flammable items, or knocked over by children or pets.
To prevent candle fires, you should keep candles away from anything that can burn, use a candle holder that is stable and heat-resistant, and blow out candles when you leave the room or go to bed.
Dryers and Washing Machines. Dryers and washing machines are the sixth top cause of home fires and home fire injuries in the United States, accounting for 4% of all home fires and 5% of all home fire injuries in 2020.
Dryer and washing machine fires can start when lint, dust, or clothing accumulate, or the machines overheat or malfunction.
To prevent dryer and washing machine fires, clean the lint filter and the dryer’s vent pipe after each use and keep the area around the machines clear of clutter.
You should also have your machines serviced regularly and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for use and care.
Lightning. Lightning is in seventh place among the leading causes of home fires and home fire-related deaths in the United States, accounting for 2% of all home fires and 3% of all home fire deaths in 2020.
Lightning fires can start when lightning strikes a home, a power line, or a nearby tree and causes a power surge, a fire, or an explosion.
To prevent lightning fires, you should install a lightning protection system in your home, unplug your appliances and electronics during a storm, and avoid using corded phones, faucets, or showers. It would help to avoid windows, doors, and fireplaces during a storm.
These are some of the other causes of house fires that you should be aware of and take precautions to avoid. Observing these simple safety tips, you can reduce the fire risk in your home and protect yourself and your family from harm.
Conclusion: Common Places That Fires Occur In the Home
In conclusion, the most common places where fires occur in the home are the kitchen, the bedroom, the living room, and other places where heating, electrical, or intentional sources can ignite flammable materials.
By following some simple safety tips, such as never leaving your cooking unattended, keeping heating equipment away from anything that can burn, using electrical equipment safely and properly, securing your home and your property, and installing and testing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, you can reduce the risk of fire in your home and protect yourself and your family from harm.