Lighters left in the sun after being heated to dangerous levels
Cigarette lighters contain butane, a clear, odourless gas that is highly combustible when exposed to heat. Whilst lighters are generally safe so long as they’re stored properly, they can be extremely dangerous when left out where the sun’s rays can reach them. Every year, thousands of lighters explode after being heated to dangerous levels by sunlight, often with fatal results.
Washing machines can overheat
Washing machines are full of water, and intuitively we tend to think that water puts fires out. There are a lot of exceptions to this rule, though. Electricity travels through water, and these are an extremely dangerous combination. When the vibrations of the washing machine become too strong for too prolonged a time, the contraption can overheat and start a fire.
Children left unattended near matches or lighters
Children’s natural curiosity can have catastrophic consequences if they play with fire, especially if left unattended. Lighters, matches and other sources of fire can seem like exciting toys to youngsters who don’t understand the inherent danger, and anything that is capable of producing a flame should be kept well out of their reach.
Leaving irons on clothing
Anyone who’s ever accidentally left a smoking black chevron on a beloved piece of clothing shouldn’t be surprised by this one. Irons get incredibly hot because heat helps get the creases out of fabric. Anything that gets incredibly hot, especially where electrical appliances are concerned, carries a high risk of causing housefires. Irons do not turn off automatically, so they must be observed while in use, and placed somewhere safe to cool off afterwards.
Space heaters lead to many fatal house fires
Space heaters can cause a fire if combustible materials are left too close to them. Heating and cooling appliances are responsible for over 12% of all home fires. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), fires caused by space heaters kill more than 300 people in the U.S. each year (2014 to 2016). Always turn off your space heater when you leave home and keep flammable materials well away from it. Thousands of house fires each year are caused by space heaters being left running when the homeowners are out.
Gas leaks can lead to devastating explosions
Natural gas is cheap, easy to transport and highly flammable, which makes it an ideal fuel source for heating homes. Unfortunately, it can also present a risk for devastating fires and explosions. Leaks are particularly dangerous if they occur whilst you’re out, as the gas can build up to dangerous levels without your knowledge. If you think you smell gas, or hear a faint hissing sound, leave the house immediately and call in expert assistance.
Kitchen grease splatters
When cooking in the kitchen, grease and oil splatters around without you even noticing sometimes. It just takes a spark to set that grease ablaze. Oil is highly flammable, and with the rates we use it at in our kitchens, it’s no shock that this is one of the leading causes of house fires today. This is why watching what you cook is so important!
Air conditioners overloading on heat
Air conditioning helps people to stay cool in the hot summer months, keeping the home temperature low. They can, unfortunately, also be the cause of house fires. Because their aim is to cool, all the heat taken from the air it is producing along with the heat from generating any kind of power all comes together and can result in a fire. To reduce this risk, do not plug air conditioners into extension cords, but directly into the wall to avoid overloading a plug socket.
Overloaded outlets
The circuits in electrical outlets are designed to trip if they are overloaded, but this safety feature doesn’t work perfectly and overloaded outlets cause thousands of house fires every year. The most common way to overload an outlet is to use an extension lead to connect multiple, high-power appliances. If you do use extension leads in this way, make sure you switch the power off at the outlet whenever you’re not actively using the appliances that are connected to it.
Mirrors reflecting sunlight onto flammable surfaces
The fact that mirrors can start fires by reflecting sunlight makes them incredibly valuable in survival situations, but it can make them equally dangerous if you put them up in the wrong part of your house. Mirrors can generate significant heat if the sun’s rays catches them for long enough, potentially setting fire to fabrics or other flammable materials. When you’re putting up mirrors, make sure you don’t hang them on walls directly opposite windows.
Poor wiring causing sparks
You might be surprised at how many houses have faulty wiring built in. If your fuse blows frequently, this is just one sign that your house may have poor wiring. Bad wiring can cause sparks to fly and your house to be set ablaze without you ever being able to see and determine the issue first.
Hair straighteners are often left on by mistake
Hair straighteners can reach heats of 450°F, easily enough to ignite flammable materials. Compounding the danger, they are often used by people rushing to get ready, meaning they sometimes get left on by mistake. Yet even if they are switched off, it can take hair straighteners up to 40 minutes to fully cool down, so it’s incredibly important to make sure they aren’t left near anything combustible.
Christmas lights are a common cause of house fires
Festive they may be, but wrapping a highly flammable tree in electrical lighting is seriously questionable from a safety standpoint. To make matters worse, many Christmas lights often use cheap components, increasing the risks of circuits overloading and catching fire. The U.S. Fire Administration has revealed that the number of house fires on Christmas Day is almost double the average, with New Years’ Eve coming in at a close second.
Blow dryer filters can be dangerous
Blow dryers blow hot air. That’s their whole job, so this little machine can get pretty hot indeed. The key to avoiding any kind of fire from a blow dryer is to switch it off immediately when not in use, and even more importantly to check and clean the filter regularly. If the filter in your blow dryer gets too dirty, whatever is trapped in it can catch fire more easily than you may expect.
Paint supplies are so flammable even static electricity can cause a fire
A lot of people don’t know how important it is to store unused paint and related supplies such as paint thinner in a safe environment. These liquids are highly flammable, as the packaging always tells you, but that actually means you have to keep them in cool, dry spaces with the lids tightly sealed in place. Even static electricity or being in a place that is too hot can set these liquids alight.
Older televisions can result in sparks
Televisions process an awful lot of information at very fast speeds. They also have a lot of ventilation on the back side which some people forget to take care of. All these aspects combined can cause a heat build up resulting in your television sparking and catching fire, particularly if your television is particularly old and boxy.
Fireplaces left unattended
Quite a lot of houses have fireplaces of some kind. It probably isn’t a massive shock that controlled fires in people’s houses are high on the list of things that can cause housefires. Open fireplaces in particular can easily cause surrounding items to catch fire if left unattended. This can easily spread to the rest of the house. If you have a fireplace, make sure you keep the flames covered somehow and when uncovered, watch the fire at all times.
Toasters create high levels of heat
Toasters plug in at the wall and can be adjusted depending on how long you want the toast to stay in them. That said, they can still stay on for a prolonged period, they create high levels of heat, and if they’re old they have a tendency to stop working as well as they should. It doesn’t take much for a toaster to cause a fire!
Matches must be properly extinguished
They are generally used to light candles which have already been covered as a leading cause of housefires, but the matches themselves can actually be the source of the fire too. People have a tendency to wave the match about to extinguish it and then lay it aside without thinking too much of it. It is crucial that you check that your match is properly extinguished and place it somewhere without flammable objects under or around it.
Many common kitchen powders are highly flammable
The issue with powder is that several foods come as a powder. From icing sugar to flour to dairy-free coffee creamer, powders are everywhere in the kitchen. Most powders are also highly combustible. If there is a cloud of powder in the air and a flame is near enough, that powder will all catch fire before you even know it. The combination of gas hobs and powdered food can be dangerous if you’re not cautious.
Never sleep with an electric blanket plugged in
Electric blanket fires frequently occur, with many thousands of them being reported every year. The fires are typically caused by manufacturing errors in the wiring or control unit. However, sometimes, these fires start when children touch exposed wires or play with the blanket while it is plugged in. If you’re using an electric blanket in your home and you want to ensure that you don’t start a fire, set the temperature on the blanket lower than usual, and don’t sleep with it plugged in.
Chimneys full of debris
If you do have a fireplace, it is imperative that you get your chimney cleaned regularly. This means at least once a year. If chimneys have debris caught in them in whatever capacity, it is so easy for that to catch fire from the flames and the heat which are generated below. This can then spread to the rest of the house if chimney upkeep has not been thorough.
Ventilation left blocked or covered
Most houses have air vents, sockets, and heaters in at least most rooms. These things should be kept free and uncovered because of the risk you take otherwise. If you cover spots that should be ventilated with flammable items, then you risk a housefire, as any firefighter or other expert would surely tell you.
Microwaving foil or metal
A lot of people tend to forget what can and cannot be placed in a microwave. Metal, for example, should never be put in a microwave if you want to avoid disaster. Tin foil counts as metal. Microwaves will make metal catch on fire which in turn can set the entire appliance ablaze, resulting in a house fire. You can avoid this by making sure you remove any metal from the microwave before turning it on.
Candles left unattended can be fatal
Candles can be as dangerous as they are soothing, especially when left unattended. Since they burn so silently, it’s incredibly easy to forget about a candle and leave the house or doze off with it still burning. Whilst candles in jars are unlikely to start a fire, exposed candles can easily set off a blaze as they burn low and the naked flame gets near to whatever surface the candle is standing on.
Computers with faulty fans
If you have a computer of any kind, but particularly a desktop, you could be at increased risk of starting a house fire. If your computer does not have enough fans in it, the fans are faulty, or it is too dusty, it is more likely to overheat. Computers process a lot of information so it takes work to keep them cool when functioning. Too much power or any issues could cause a spark that spreads a little too quickly.
Electric grills and leftover grease
An electric grill is the perfect way to enjoy a toasted sandwich or to cook up some sausages extra fast. It is also a perfect way to start a house fire if you aren’t alert while using it. People sometimes forget to unplug their grills once they’re done using them and end up leaving them to sizzle with leftover grease still on the surface. It doesn’t take a genius to work out what happens next.
Leaving items around a gas stove
A lot of stovetops use gas as their method of heating and cooking food. Gas is flammable on purpose or it wouldn’t light the stove of course, but forgetting to wipe down the stove after use or leaving other items around the stove can be incredibly dangerous. The flames from the stove can easily catch onto another material and cause disaster.
Older lightbulbs can pose real risk
Lightbulbs seem like they should be safe objects. They’re fairly small and not that much power runs through them. However, older lightbulbs in particular can pose a very real risk. The wires in them can spark upon switching the lightbulb on or even off. Any sort of spark can cause a fire.
Glass decorations can refract light with dangerous consequences
Much like mirrors, glass decorations can refract light in unfortunate ways. Focused refracted light can cause intense heat spots that can start a flame. Glass décor, particularly if it is magnifying in any way carries this risk so the best thing to do with them is to place them away from windows that receive large amounts of light.
Remote control batteries can combust
Remote controls are risky due to them containing batteries. It is possible for some buttons on the remote control to get stuck being pressed down. This causes the batteries to work overtime to constantly attempt to function in whatever way that button says. This excessive work that the batteries are doing can result in combustion. Not ideal!
Forgetting about food in the oven
The oven has its own special door which makes it seem like any fire that breaks out will be completely contained, and less likely to occur in the first place. This is not altogether true. Because foods tend to take a long time to cook in the oven, they are also easier to forget about and therefore easier to burn. If your food exceeds a certain temperature, it can start to burn – and we don’t mean turn black and be rendered inedible. Overcooked food can literally burst into flames, and this can spread more easily than you might think.
Gas heaters pose risks due to the canister
While electrical heaters can come with some additional risks when it comes to items being exposed near the heater, that does not mean gas heaters are therefore completely safe. Having a gas canister in your home attached to a heated appliance is automatically going to cause some risks, and can lead to combustion in some cases.
Air fryers not turning off automatically
The new kitchen must-have of recent years is a hot item in more ways than one. Like many household appliances, these are switched on with the simple flick of a switch. Unlike other appliances, they do not turn off automatically. The number of air fryer fires in the United Kingdom more than doubled in 2022 showing that these appliances may pose a real risk.
Refrigerators may be cold, but they’re not risk free
Refrigerators make things cold, so how can they be creating enough heat to start a fire? Yet the fact they run cold is actually the exact reason that they catch fire. Refrigerators take heat away from the inside; that heat has to go somewhere, so it gathers around the power source, resulting in the back of the refrigerator heating up, and in the worst circumstances this can result in combustion.
Dryers need plenty of ventilation
Any kind of dryer or heat producing electrical appliance runs a risk of malfunctioning and catching fire. Appliances that people do not expect to catch fire actually end up carrying a higher risk simply because people forget to treat them with care. Clothes dryers are one of those. They need to stay well ventilated, should have their filters checked, and should be switched off at the wall or unplugged between uses.
Fans left on for long periods can overload the motor
This one sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Fans are supposed to cool things down, and housefires are not exactly cool. However, fans are electrical appliances that are left on for extended periods of time. This allows the little motor on the fan to heat up over time and can thus result in a fire starting.
Forgetting to clean your vacuum cleaner filter
Vacuum cleaners can be prone to catching fire and starting housefires if we don’t look after them properly. Too many of us forget to clean the filters, wait too long to tip out the dust and debris they suck up and leave them running for too long. Sometimes the problem with vacuum cleaners comes down to faulty wiring as well, but there are things you can do to minimise risks.
Oil burners and water can easily catch fire
Some people like to use oil burners to diffuse essential oils into the air and make their house smell delicious. This seems like a lovely idea if you remember to put a few drops of oil in water, instead of just diffusing essential oils in their pure oil form. If there is more oil than water and it gets to a certain temperature, it can easily catch fire.
Chargers left connected for extended periods of time
Whether they’re for phones, laptops, or other electrical goods, these are devices that tend to be left plugged in for extended periods of time. Any such electricals are at increased risk of sparking and thus causing a fire to start in your house. Make sure to unplug your charger when it’s not in use to avoid this.
Drying racks left too close to a heat source
Drying racks are generally speaking not electric in nature. However, they are often made of metal and placed very close to heaters in order to get the clothes to dry faster. Many clothes today are rather flammable due to being synthetic materials made of oil. If these materials are left in contact with something hot for long enough, they will combust.
Dishwashers cause 500 fires each year
Water quells fire is a common mistake people make in their minds. In the United States, about 500 fires are caused by dishwashers each year. Many people do not think to maintain their dishwashers as they take these appliances for granted. This can cause a dangerous electric fire, particularly due to the heat that dishwashers tend to run at.
Animals can unintentionally start a fire
Much like children, animals are unpredictable, curious, and clumsy. Having animals around electrical appliances, candles, fireplaces, or flammable items poses a risk to your household. Your cat might knock a lamp over and your dog might sweep a candle off its surface completely unintentionally. While they don’t mean to, having a pet increases your likelihood of a housefire simply due to their lack of control and predictability.
Barbecues can quickly grow out of control
Since they’re normally used outside, people tend to underestimate the risk of house fires that barbecues can pose. However, dry grass and naked flame is a recipe for a fire that can quickly grow out of control and spread to nearby houses. People also often don’t realize how long it takes hot coals to cool down, resulting in fires when they try and dispose of them too soon.
Electric bikes contain a flammable lithium battery
The rate of house fires started by electric bikes is increasing as the use of electric bikes does. The reason for these fires is not because electric motor on these bikes has to work so hard, but because of the lithium-ion batteries they hold. If these batteries are defective, they can overheat and cause a chemical reaction which triggers a fire to start.
Many house fires are caused by carelessness
The majority of house fires are linked to cooking on the hob. Out of those, the majority occur because someone walked away from the stove and forgot to watch what was happening. It is this carelessness that leads to most housefires in the world. If people stood to attention and watched their fire hazards, particularly those in the kitchen, the number of house fires would plummet.
A smoke alarm should never be disabled, even if it’s oversensitive
Some people do not like having the things that keep them safe in their home. Smoke detectors can be poorly placed and oversensitive when placed right about the stove, but they are crucial in keeping you safe from house fires. Because of people’s dislike of smoke detectors, they sometimes take the batteries out or disable them. Without the detector going off, they have no idea of the immediate fire risks in their home.
Overloaded speakers can lead to a build up of heat
It is tempting to put the volume on speakers up to the highest they go, but this can be dangerous, particularly if you are linking a new device to an old speaker. If the speaker in question becomes too loud, the sheer volume can overload the speakers and cause it to blow. This may not seem to cause a fire, but heat will build up inside the speakers which can spark and spread.
Batteries are prone to overheating
We have this idea that electronic devices have all been properly designed and should therefore stop themselves from overheating. While this is often the case, electronics are not perfect. Batteries are a part of many appliances that are particularly prone to overheating and catching fire. Do not leave appliances with batteries switched on near flammable objects when not in use.
Messy spaces increase risk of fire
If your home is cluttered with things that are not necessary for day-to-day life, you are putting yourself at risk of a fire breaking out. When grease and dust build-up in crowded areas, especially in rooms with poor ventilation, fire is just a spark away. Clutter also increases the risk of fire spreading and injuring or killing people. Clutter can make it difficult to escape a fire, so it is important to make sure your home is clutter-free.
Too many people forget cooking safety
When cooking, make sure your sleeves are rolled up and your clothes are out of the way so you don’t burn yourself on hot grease. If your clothes do catch fire, it’s a natural reaction to panic. However, if you remain calm and follow these tips, you can put out the flames. Stop what you’re doing, drop to the ground, cover your face if possible, and roll over on the flames until it goes out. Also: never, ever throw water on a grease fire, as this will cause it to spread.
Plug-in fragrance fires are rare – but still possible
Plug-in fragrances have been blamed for a number of house fires, although there is currently no solid evidence that they are a fire risk. Some experts say that incidents of plug-in fragrance fires are rare but still possible and should be taken seriously if you’re using a plug-in fragrance in your home. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) reports that about 1,900 reported fires were caused by plug-in air fresheners between 2010 and 2011. It is important to unplug any fragrances when you are not using them, as this will save energy, save wear and tear on the device, and prevent possible fires.
Fireworks on a dry night can cause deaths and damage
Fireworks can be dangerous. If it hasn’t rained in a while, the grass is likely to be very dry and easily set on fire by a stray firecracker in your backyard. In 2018, local fire departments reported 19,500 brush, dry grass, and forest fires caused by fireworks. They caused five deaths, 46 civilian fireworks-related injuries, and $105 million in direct property damage. So if you’re wanting to celebrate July 4th or Bonfire Night, make sure it’s rained first!
Lightning in the summertime
House fires that start from lightning strikes are a lot more likely to occur in the summertime when the surfaces on and around a house are dry. It is the surroundings that tend to catch on fire first, meaning houses in wooded areas or dry grasslands are particularly vulnerable. While this is not something existing in your house, you are probably familiar with the weather patterns where you live and it is a good thing to stay aware of.
Cigarettes (especially while people fall asleep smoking in bed)
Around one in three fatal house fires are linked to smoking, with cigarettes accounting for roughly 6% of all blazes. The most common scenario involves smokers dozing off in bed with a lit cigarette, a risk which is heightened by drinking alcohol. Smouldering ash can also fall easily fall off a cigarette without being noticed, igniting carpets or upholstery.
Investing in smoke alarms can save your life
You can easily protect your home from fire by installing smoke alarms. They’re cheap to buy and placing a couple throughout your house, one upstairs and one downstairs, can save your life. The big issue here is that they need working batteries, so make sure you replace them when they run out! A simple phone reminder can help you to check your smoke alarms every month. Otherwise, it’s easy to forget!
Water heaters cause over 5,000 home fires per year
Be sure to take proper care of your water heater and store flammable materials or liquids away from it. You can also reduce the risk of a fire by cleaning out any rust or sediment from the bottom of the tank every few years. The National Fire Protection Association reports that every year, on average, 5,400 home fires are caused by water heaters. These fires result in about 20 deaths, so it’s worth taking extra care.
Open doors increase the risk of fire spreading
Close doors behind you to keep fires from spreading. If a fire does break out, you’ll have less risk of it spreading throughout your property if there aren’t any open doors. To protect yourself and your family from fire, be sure to check all doors are closed at night before you go to sleep.
Electric heaters overloading the system
Electric appliances in general can be a cause of house fires, but did you know that electric heaters are a lot more likely than gas heaters to cause a fire? This is because gas heaters have their own insulated gas canister which is insulated and safe, whereas an electric heater is connected to the whole system. It’s an inherently dangerous set-up, similar to hair straighteners.
Cheap appliances can be deadly
It’s easy to find yourself spending a lot of money furnishing your home, so wanting to cut corners where you can is understandable. The second-hand market is a great place to look for items but, when it comes to electrical things like TVs and appliances, it’s better to stick to new, brand-name items. Brand-name products tend to be more reliable than cheaply made knock-offs and are less likely to cause electrical issues.
