The Most Common Causes Of Winter House Fires

Everyday Occurrences That Can Cause Fires

Cooking. It’s probably no surprise that most fires happen in the kitchen, but it’s an important reminder to pay attention while cooking and not to get complacent about your everyday safety. When you’re cooking, remember to never leave your hot appliances unattended and to turn off all burners while not in use. Make sure to keep any flammable or explosive items away from heat; this includes paper materials such as paper towels, aerosol cans such as cooking spray, or fabrics such as towels. To avoid fires due to burning food or grease on the stovetop or in the oven, make sure to clean these areas often. To avoid other injuries, keep your pets and children away from the oven while cooking. Remember that if a grease fire starts in your kitchen, NEVER try to put it out using water. To stop a grease fire, cut off the supply of oxygen by covering it with a lid or baking sheet.

Candles. The number of fires started by candles is at their highest in December, as people use them to generate festive scents and decorate the home. These items may be a seasonal delight, but remember that they are an open flame, no matter how small the flame may appear. When you light candles, do not leave them unobserved and do not go to sleep with a candle still burning. It’s also of vital importance to keep all candles away from flammable materials, including paper products, fabrics, and dried plants, including any festive decorative pine branches and pinecones.

Smoking. Even though it’s winter and you may not want to go into the cold Calgary weather to smoke, it’s critical that you still do as smoking inside can easily lead to fires. Make sure that when you’re done, your cigarette, pipe, cigar, or joint is properly extinguished in an ashtray and do not throw the butt away into peat moss, mulch, or anything else that may ignite.

Lighting. It’s understandable that you want some extra lights in your home during the dark winter months in Calgary, but be careful to not overload your electrical socket. Electrical-based fires often occur when there are too many multi receptacle add-ons that lead to overheating or sparking.

Dryers. Dryers collect lint every time you do a load, and if this accumulated lint is not regularly cleaned and disposed of, it can become overheated from the dryer and start burning. To avoid this, make sure you clean your lint trap regularly and have the dryer vent and ductwork cleaned once a year. When the dryer is in use, at least one person should be at home and awake.

Contact 24/7 Restoration For Fire Damage Clean Up

House fires can happen, even to those who are mindful and follow safety precautions. While these are great steps to help avoid fires, if a fire has occurred, the best thing to do is call 24/7 Restoration in Calgary to handle all of your fire and smoke damage restoration needs to help alleviate the stress caused by these unfortunate events. 24/7 Restoration has IICRC fire and smoke certified technicians, top-of-the-line equipment, and state-of-the-art cleaning processes to help clean up your home and get it back to its pre-fire condition. If you’ve suffered fire damage, call 24/7 Restoration at 1-403-247-4365 or fill out the online contact form if you have any questions.

FAQ

Q: What damages might my home suffer if a fire starts?
A: This will depend on the type of fire, at what point it gets put out, and how hot it burns. Some fires can spread to the whole house and can leave families devastated and even claim lives. Smaller fires that get quickly managed may not cause as severe damage, but they will likely cause some smoke damage and fire damage in parts of the home. Make sure you have up-to-date fire extinguishers in different parts of your house, with one specifically designated for the kitchen.

Q: The Fire Department has come and put the fire out, but now I have water in my house. Will this be cleaned up?
A: Water damage resulting from a fire is very common, and 24/7 Restoration will employ all of our expertise in water damage mitigation and structural drying in our restoration strategy for your fire loss. It is our job to ensure that you don’t have mold growth from this event.

Q: What other restoration services does 24/7 offer?

A: 24/7 Restoration offers:

• Asbestos removal
• Mold removal
• Lead removal
• Flood damage cleanup
• Sewage backup cleanup
• Smoke and fire damage cleanup
• Storm damage cleanup
• Demolition cleanup