Keeping safe in your own home isn’t something to scoff at. Fires can break out anywhere at any time so make sure you’re being as fire-safe as possible. Here are the top causes of house fires and how you can prevent them.

Where do fires most start in the home?

Fires can happen anywhere in the home but the kitchen is by far one of the most common places for fires to break out. It’s important to always tend to pots and pans when you’re cooking and never leave open flames unattended. Additionally, never pour water into hot oil as it can cause an explosive reaction.

1. Cooking fires

What is the most common cause of house fires? Cooking fires. These types of house fires are thought to cause around 50% of all residential fires. Usually, they are caused by grease that becomes overheated on the stove or in the oven.

When it gets hot enough, grease is extremely flammable and when it reaches high temperatures it can spontaneously combust, even without contact with flames. Furthermore, once grease has caught fire, it’s very difficult to put out.

How to prevent

Never leave the kitchen unattended while cooking with oil or when cooking food that produces grease such as bacon. Most kitchen fires start when a homeowner leaves food cooking unsupervised on the stove or in the oven and by the time the fire is discovered, it’s usually too late. Additionally, always clean your cookware thoroughly to prevent grease from building up over time.

2. Heaters

Space heaters or heaters with an exposed element can cause fires if they come into contact (or are placed too close to) soft furnishings and fabrics as well as other combustible materials.

Heaters that require fuel, such as kerosene are especially dangerous, as they can ignite or blow up if not properly supervised. Electrical heaters can cause fires if the wiring is faulty, or if fabrics overheat when they come in contact with the coils.

How to prevent

Whenever you get a new heater always make sure you read the instructions to make sure you’re using it safely. Inspect it regularly to ensure it’s in good condition as well.

Never leave the house with a heater running. Space heaters almost always have instructions warning against unsupervised use, but thousands of house fires each year can be attributed to such appliances left running when homeowners are absent. And always make sure flammable materials are kept well away from space heaters.

3. Electrical fires

Faulty wiring can cause fires in any part of the house and can be really difficult to put out. Most typically, electric fires occur because of short circuits or loose connections causing arcing (sparking) that ignite building materials, or from circuits that are overloaded with current, causing wires to overheat.

How to prevent

Properly installed electrical systems are very safe, with a number of built-in protective features, but old, faulty wiring systems can be susceptible to short circuits and overloading. It's a good idea to have your wiring checked out by a professional electrician, especially if you live in an older home. And don't perform your own electrical repairs or improvements unless you understand the principles of electricity and have experience doing such work.

4. Smoking

How to prevent

Smoking in bed is especially dangerous, and should always be avoided at all costs. All it takes is a single stray piece of ash or spark to ignite a mattress, blanket, carpet, or piece of clothing. If you must smoke, do it outside whenever possible, or smoke over a sink while using an ashtray to help reduce your fire risk.

5. Candles

A favourite of many, candles can make a home feel cosy and comfortable, but they’re also one of the biggest culprits for starting house fires. Matches and lighters used to light candles are equally dangerous if left in a place too close to an open flame or in a spot where children can reach them. Keep matches and lighters locked in a secure place if you have kids, and never leave a candle burning in a room that is unattended.

How to prevent

The holiday season is the prime time for fires caused by candles. They can add a wonderful touch to family dinners and holiday celebrations, but always extinguish them before leaving the room.

Trim your wicks and keep candle flames at least 12 inches from any materials that might be flammable. Consider other options for decorative lighting effects such as battery-powered flameless candles that look remarkably realistic, right down to flickering in the same way that candles do.

6. Christmas trees

Christmas trees are a holiday tradition across the globe, but they also come with some risks. Real evergreen trees dry out over time, and by the end of the holiday season, they can pose a very serious danger of flash fire. A hot light or a spark can set the tree aflame, and such fires spread incredibly fast, engulfing a room in a matter of seconds. While fires caused by Christmas trees are much less common than other causes they can still be deadly.

How to prevent

If you have a real Christmas tree, it’s important to keep it well watered and hydrated to lower the risk of fire. Artificial trees made with vinyl or plastic needles are safer in this regard, but an electrical fire from a bad wire in the light-bulb string or an overloaded outlet is still a risk.

Never leave Christmas tree lights plugged in when you are not at home or when you are sleeping, no matter if the tree is natural or artificial.

Older Christmas tree lights that use incandescent bulbs can generate quite a lot of heat and are best replaced by lights using LED bulbs, which are considerably cooler to the touch. But all light bulb strings should be regularly inspected and discarded if they show bare wires or other problems.

Installing a set of fire doors in your space can help slow the spread of fires if they break out in your home. Leader Online has a wide range of tested and certified fire doors designed to prevent fires from spreading as fast through your home, giving you time to escape to safety.