How to Prevent a House Fire

Last Updated: May 3, 2022 References

House fires kill and injure thousands yearly, and cost many more their valued possessions and memories. Here are some steps you can take to lessen the chance of your home becoming a part of this statistic.

Part 1

Part 1 of 7:

Checking the House

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Inspect your home. You may need to recruit, or even hire, someone experienced in home electrical wiring, plumbing (gas), heating, and air conditioning to ensure that it is thoroughly inspected. You can also do the checks outlined in the following steps.
2
Check the condition of your home's electrical system. Wear rubber sandals and hold a wooden stick or equipment to avoid getting an electric shock. Remove any jewelry or metallic accessories that you might be wearing to be safe as they might conduct electricity.^{[1]
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- Look for improperly grounded receptacles. Many modern appliances require a "three pronged" (grounded) receptacle, but people will sometimes use an adapter to bypass this safety feature, or even break a ground prong off an appliance cord. Changing existing circuits to provide grounding is a job that is best left to a professional electrician.
- Look in the attic and crawl spaces for wiring which has been damaged by pests or insects. Some old wiring is insulated with a material which insects eat or chew on, and squirrels or other rodents will often chew the thermoplastic insulation off of modern nonmetallic cable (Romex).
- Look for overloaded circuit breakers, panel boxes, or fuse boxes. Check for breakers or fuses which may have circuits "piggy-backed" on them. These are rated for single circuit protection, but sometimes in outdated or undersized panel boxes, people will put two or even more wires in the terminal of a single breaker or fuse.
- Notice flickering lights, or intermittent power surges. These conditions may be caused by outside influences, but if they occur often, they may indicate a bad connection or a short in the circuit.
- Note breakers which trip, or fuses that blow frequently. This is almost always a sign of an overloaded circuit or other wiring problem, usually of a most serious nature.
- Look at the individual breaker connections, especially in outdoor panel boxes, for corrosion, signs of thermal damage (smut or smokey residue near terminals) splices which are poorly taped or wire nutted, or abraded or damaged wire insulation.
- Check the ground cable. A failure in the building grounding system and bonding can be dangerous in regard to electrical shock, as well as fire. Look for loose split bolts, clamps, or other connecting devices, and corrosion.
- Be especially careful to notice any connections in wiring other than copper. Installed correctly, and with tight connections, aluminum wire is not excessively dangerous, but when connections are made to copper wires, an electrolytic reaction may occur, causing increased resistance in the connection which will generate excessive heat. If you are able to apply an antioxidant compound to aluminum connections, it will help decrease the risk of oxidation causing a short circuit at these locations.
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3
Check the natural gas/LP gas system in your home. You will want to look for loose fittings, leaking valves, faulty pilot lights, and debris or improperly stored flammable materials in areas near these appliances.
- Check the vent stacks on gas water heaters, furnaces, and clothes dryers.
- Check the automatic ignition systems or pilot lights on these fixtures, as well, particularly for any guards which are not properly installed, and for lint or dust buildup in the immediate area around them.
- Have the gas plumbing (pipes), valves, and regulators inspected by a professional any time you smell gas or suspect a leak.
- Do not switch anything on if you smell gas, as it could cause fire. You can switch off anything that's one with a wooden or plastic object or stick.
- Open all the windows and doors so all the gas goes out safely.
4
Check the air conditioning and heating unit in your home. These systems operate with electric motors and air moving equipment which requires periodic maintenance. Always hire a credible engineer to fix any issues with your electrical products, especially air conditioners.^{[2]
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- Clean, or have your interior AC coils cleaned, and replace your return air filters regularly. This will prevent the fan motor from being overworked, and also save money on your energy bill. For window air conditioners, never use extension cords!
- Lubricate belt drive pulleys (where applicable), boss bearings on drive motors, and other equipment as needed.
- Have the resistance coils or furnace burners cleaned and serviced at the beginning of the heating season, since debris may accumulate there while the system is off during the summer.
- Listen to the system when it is operating. Squealing sounds, rumbling noises, or banging and tapping sounds may indicate loose parts or bearings which are seizing up.
- If you have access to a snap-on amp meter, you may check the amperage draw on the high amperage circuit to your heating coils to make sure they are in the normal operating range. Higher than normal amperage draw on a circuit indicates unusual resistance, and in an electrical circuit, resistance is what causes heat, and ultimately, fires.

Part 2

Part 2 of 7:

Checking and Safe Use of Household Items

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Check your appliances.^{[3]
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- Keep your stove and oven clean, especially watching for grease accumulation.
- Check stove vent hoods, clean the filter regularly, and make sure that if it is equipped with an exterior vent, insects or birds do not build nests or otherwise impede the air flow through it.
- Check the power cords for your appliances. Look for missing grounding prongs on the plugs and damaged insulation, and replace or repair them if defects are found.
- Keep the lint trap and outside vent clean in your clothes dryer. Some dryers have internal ductwork which may become clogged and require servicing, so if the dryer is operating poorly, have it checked. Lint or other material collecting near the heat coils in clothes dryers is extremely dangerous. Stay nearby while using the dryer. Have a smoke alarm and fire extinguisher nearby. If you must leave the area for a minute, turn off the dryer. After all, you are not going to be away long, and you can immediately turn the dryer on when you return.
2
Be very careful with space heaters.^{[4]
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- Keep flammable materials (curtains, the couch) a safe distance (usually 3 feet) from portable heaters.
- Set heaters where they are not in the traffic flow of the room.
- As a rule, extension cords are not recommended with space heaters. Small, low wattage heaters may be an exception, but check the manufacturer's recommendations prior to using an extension cord with one. Be safe, just don't use extension cords.
- Use space heaters only on solid, firm surfaces. They should never be placed on tables, chairs or other places where they may tip over. Replace old space heaters with ones that will automatically turn off if tipped over.
- Do not drape fabric over lamps to dim them. Either buy a lower wattage bulb, or turn the lamp off.
3
Avoid using extension cords for air conditioners. An overheated cord is like an out-of-control electric heater.
4
Maintain your fireplace correctly.^{[5]
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- Inspect the fire box (hearth) for cracks, damaged sheet metal (for inserts) and other hazards.
- Use glass fire doors or a wire mesh spark screen to prevent embers from popping out of the fireplace.
- Burn dry, seasoned wood to prevent creosote buildup in the chimney. Note that some woods, like cedar, pop excessively when burned, and should not be used in an open fireplace.
- Remove ash and unscorched wood only when there are no embers or sparks in the fire box. Place ash in a metal (not a plastic bucket) and place outside away from any buildings.
- Have your chimney inspected and cleaned at least once a year.
5
Keep flammable liquids away from ignition sources.^{[6]
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- Keep gasoline, paint thinners, and other highly flammable liquids or materials in UL approved containers and out of the house.
- Do not store any flammable liquid in a garage or utility room with that has a pilot light equipped appliance in use in it. Be safe, keep these items outdoors, or in a separate outbuilding.
6
Be very careful in any situation where you use an extension cord for extended periods of time. Often, foot traffic, moving furniture, and other hazards damage these cords, causing a potential for a fire. Holiday decorations are often lit for weeks with these cords, and if you are using them, use a high quality cord with a sufficient rating for the intended purpose.

Part 3

Part 3 of 7:

Kitchen Safety

1
Stay in the kitchen when using the range for cooking. If you are leaving for just a minute, turn off all the burners on the range. Going to the basement for a can of tomatoes, or running out to check the mail, going to the bathroom, answering the phone in another part of the house? Simply turn off all the burners. After all, you are just leaving for a minute. You can immediately turn the pot or frying pan back on when you return. Taking this simple step will prevent one of the most common situations that cause house fires: unattended cooking.^{[7]
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- When cooking with oil, keep a lid or flat cookie sheet close by. If flames appear, simply suffocate the fire with the lid and immediately turn off the stove or fryer to let it cool down. Do not try to move the pan. Do not use water. The super-heated water will explode into steam, and can cause severe burns, and oil can splash and spread the fire.
2
Don't cook when drinking alcohol, using drugs, or when too tired. Eat something already prepared, make a cold sandwich, and go to sleep. Cook your meal later, when you are fully conscious.
3
Ensure tea cloths, tea towels dish rags etc are never left on the hob or burner. Never hang towels etc where they may fail onto a flame or hot surface.

Part 4

Part 4 of 7:

Taking Care in Daily Activities

1
Don't sit or lie down when smoking. Standing up will usually prevent you from falling asleep while smoking. Getting too tired? Put out the cigarette thoroughly in an ashtray or water-damp sink and go to bed. Do not smoke in bed - when you're in bed it's easy to fall asleep and drop your cigarette on the floor allowing it to set fire to the carpet. Cleaning out the ashtray? Place the ashes in the sink and dampen them, then scoop them up and place them in the trash can away from the house.^{[8]
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2
Take care when drying laundry on airers or dryers by the fire. Try not to do this unless totally unavoidable. Dry clothes by radiators, or outdoors if possible.
3
Be careful with candles, oil lamps, and other open flame illumination or decorations. Cover the flame with a wire cage to prevent something from falling or blowing onto the flame, and to prevent children and pets from coming in contact with the flame. Extinguish any naked flames when leaving the room, if even for a minute. After all, you'll be right back, and you can immediately relight the candle or lamp.^{[9]
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4
Use caution with holiday decorations, particularly Christmas trees. Natural Christmas trees are highly combustible when they become dry, and old, damaged, or low quality tree lights cause many fires when combined with an under watered or otherwise dry tree. Watch a video of a Christmas tree fire. It is amazing how fast it can destroy a room, and a home.
5
After using matches, quickly place in or run under water to extinguish any invisible flame or heat source that could cause a fire in the trash can.^{[10]
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6
Take care using chargers for devices such as mobile phones. Unplug chargers when not in use.
7
Unplug hair straighteners, curling irons and other similar appliances after use. Don't just turn them off at the socket or switch the device itself off, unplug it.
8
Make sure to keep house doors closed before sleeping. As much as it blocks sound from your children and alarm systems, closing interior doors and exterior doors helps prevent the movement of smoke and heat should a fire occur and ensures that your room does not ignite. The door takes all the thermal damage on the opposite side. Remember, "close before you doze".

Part 5

Part 5 of 7:

Outdoor Safety

1
Do not pile up lawn clippings near a building. Fermenting lawn clippings can create heat, and catch on fire. Barn fires start this way from bales of hay with no electricity; house fires have been started from a pile of lawn clippings.^{[11]
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2
Be careful using a grill on a deck. Decks are flammable. Place non-flammable pads under your grill. Have a fire extinguisher readily available. Stay with your grill while cooking. Turn off propane if leaving, if even for a minute. After all, you'll be right back and can turn on the propane again.^{[12]
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Part 6

Part 6 of 7:

Pet Safety

1
Crate train dogs. Use the crates when you are not home and when you're not awake, to prevent new dogs or puppies from chewing on electrical cords. This will also prevent pets from urinating on electrical objects and starting a fire.
2
Confine new cats to a safe room, a small room with no places for the cat to crawl into to hide (such as into the refrigerator motor), and no electrical cords. Use the safe room until the cat is calm and no longer hiding. Provide cats with edible oat or wheat grass, to prevent them from chewing on electrical cords.
- Confine rabbits, chinchillas, and other pets when not supervising them, to prevent them from chewing on electrical cords, causing burns or electrical fires.
- Release them in case of an unforeseen incident.

Part 7

Part 7 of 7:

Installing Fire Prevention Tools and Teaching Fire Safety

1
Install and maintain smoke detectors. Rental properties in many countries must have smoke detectors. If you have them in your home, keep them in good working order and if you don't have any, get some, or ask your landlord to install some.^{[13]
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Look into the possibility of installing a lightning protection system in your home if you live in an area where lightning is a frequent problem. The savings from reduced damages to appliances may offset the cost of this upgrade.
3
Consider having a home sprinkler system installed. This can be used to extinguish fires both when you are away and at home.
4
Teach your children not to play with lighters or matches. Children are often both the cause and victims of fires, and should not be allowed access to matches or cigarette lighters. Consider getting a lockable box, and keeping matches and lighters locked up.^{[14]
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Community Q&A

Question

What if my room is all the way in the back, but the doors are all in the front?

Community Answer

Go to the closest door possible. If you can't make it to a door, you may have to go out the window. Make sure you test the door handles before going through any door. If the handle is hot, don't open the door.
Question

What should I do if I'm the only family member that gets out of the house?

Community Answer

First, call 911 if they haven't been called already. Then, just keep an eye out for anyone who is trying to escape the house and assist them in any way you can. Do not, under any circumstances, try to run back into the house, even if you're trying to get someone out. That is very dangerous and should be left to professional firefighters.
Question

What happens when pets chew on cords?

Community Answer

They can get electrocuted! Don't let them do that, and if they do, put them in a room without cords or make them a pet house outside, because that stuff is very dangerous.

Warnings

In case of a fire, get out of your home as quickly as possible, making sure all occupants are alerted and leave also.

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Do not use water on an electrical or grease fire. In electric fires, the water will conduct the electricity towards you and cause electrocution. In grease fires, the oil will heat the water extremely rapidly, which could cause the water to flash boil into steam, pushing the oil outwards and potentially spreading the fire.

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Do not burn debris or allow debris or combustible materials to accumulate near your home. Sometimes, this can be illegal where you live.

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