5 Most Common Causes Of Home Electrical Fires

A house becomes a home when happiness, safety, and contentment is guaranteed. There are umpteen
things that can upset the slender balance and safety in our home and accidents such as injuries, kitchen
fires, accidents, and electrical fires. , Let’s talk about this very plausible threat that are a common
occurrence in homes, unfortunately.

It is estimated that more than 20% of the residential fires are caused by malfunction and mishaps in
electrical, appliance, and heating equipment. For instance equipment out of sight face the threat of
electrical wear and tear while regular electrical outlets, faulty electrical wiring, electric panels, and
equipment can blowout and lead to a fire.

Sources of Residential Electric Fires

It pays to be aware of sources of electrical fires at home that include poor, faulty, or old electrical
features. It is a good idea to start with an electrical inspection, by a professional electrician who can do a
safety audit as well. Meanwhile, here are some of the most common causes of electrical fires and the
means to prevent them.

Electrical Sockets, Switches, Wires and Extension Wires

These are some of the common electrical items of use and as result the most common causes of
electrical fires. It could be in the form of loose and rusted, open wires running in places away from our
line of vision. You would also need to lookout for the extension cord filled beyond capacity.

It is also possible that power outlets, switches and the wires attached to them could get loose
with time and any break in them could lead to a fire. Frail and dodgy looking outlets and switches on
your walls need to be replaced and would need expert help if there are any loose, unattached, or
exposed wires. Of course, gnarly electrical wires need to be replaced immediately since exposed cords
can lead to sparks and a fire.

Extension cords, in as much as they are convenient, have to be watched for. We do not often realize that
we focus only on convenience and forget that we could be loading the single outlet with multiple
devices beyond capacity. It is always advisable to stop short of the given full capacity.

Devices and Appliances

As they age, our appliances and devices bring with them the risk of fires and we need to be careful
about their wattage usage, material quality, and safety regulations’ compliance. Like we saw earlier,
plugging in multiple devices into an extension cord or power strip. For heavy duty appliances it is
advisable to get an electrician to do the installation or any electrical repair along with ground fault
circuit interrupters to protect from surge voltage. There is specific attention to be paid to portable
heaters and need to be watched over during use and checked for faults before use.

Electrical Panels

And now for the mother ship, the electric panel, breaker box, or the fuse box that regulates the flow of
electricity throughout the home, and prevents overloads or other mishaps. For this to work well, it is
important to replace outdated or a misfiring fuse box.
To Conclude

Of course, home safety it is not an on-off thing and you need to be watchful all the time and conduct fire
and electricity audits every few years to ensure the safety of your home and the people. While many of
these issues may not exist in newer home, the causes and triggers can exist all the time and need regular
checks, preferably with an electrician. To reiterate, any electrical repair or major fittings are best done
by an expert professional.