Everyone has bad habits around the house, whether it’s keeping the landing light on, leaving the toilet seat up, or not cleaning your oven, we all do it.
But that’s the thing about bad habits: most of the time, we don’t know we’re doing it. It’s subconscious, like breathing.
Now, this is mostly fine if it’s leaving some dishes in the sink to ‘soak’, but if the habit is a fire safety concern, then it’s time to address it before things get catastrophic.
In this article, we’re going to run through some bad habits that could directly cause a fire in your home.
So, if you find yourself doing any of these on a regular basis, now is the time to change.
Using Too Many Extension Cables
Listen, we get it, there are more electronic devices in the household these days than ever before, devices that almost certainly require some sort of cable to keep the lights on.
But the truth is, extension cables should never be a permanent solution in your household.
A high amount of extension cables boosts the chances of a short circuit that could ignite a fire.
To avoid this, hire an electrician to install more receptacle outlets throughout your home.
Forgetting To Clean Out Your Dryer Filter
Cleaning out the filter in your dryer can be an incredibly tedious task.
Nevertheless, it’s something that needs to be done.
After all, lint is extremely flammable, and any excessive heat build-up from the dryer could lead to disaster.
Besides making your house safer, cleaning your dryer filter will also increase both its efficiency and lifespan.
Overlooking Your Stove’s Range Hood And Extractor Fan
Everyone knows that ovens and stoves pose danger, but most people often overlook the dangers associated with the range hood and extractor fan.
Think about all the food you’ve cooked on your hob, now think about all that grease that will have accumulated on your ventilation hood.
Well, that grease will trickle down onto your hob, increasing the risk of a fire that will spread throughout your kitchen.
So don’t let it get out of control, add this job to your spring-cleaning list to ensure the safety of you and your loved ones.
Putting Off Appliance Upgrades
Old or defective household appliances cause hundreds of thousands of fires a year.
We know people can get attached to certain appliances in the house, particularly if you’ve had it for a while, but when it comes to fire safety, you’ve got to move on.
Whether it’s your toaster, microwave or washing machine, if it’s faulty or past its best, it may be time to consider an upgrade.
After all, sentimentality doesn’t seem like much if your kitchen is on fire.
Disregarding Dust
Dust is annoying isn’t it, constantly appearing on every surface and appliance in your home.
But besides being irritating, did you know that dust build up can also be a potential fire hazard?
Particularly when near electronics, dust can be exceptionally flammable when exposed to prolonged levels of heat.
So, when you get your duster and spray out next, pay particularly close attention to trigger areas such as TV wiring and heaters.
Letting Your Laptop Overheat
If you have a bad habit of leaving several applications open on your laptop there’s a strong chance it will overheat.
Not just bad for your laptop’s health, leaving it on flammable surfaces such as your bed, rug or sofa can further restrict the airflow to its vents, leading it to smoke or even ignite.
Put simply, when you’re done with an application, give your laptop a rest and close it down.
But if you need to keep it on, think about incorporating a laptop fan, or just place it on the desk out of the way of flammable materials.
Choosing The Wrong Wattage For Your Lightbulb
If you’ve ever thought “it’ll probably be ok if I use a 60-watt bulb in a 40-watt socket” you’re almost definitely not alone.
You are, however, putting your home at risk.
Installing a light bulb with a wattage that is too high for a lamp or light fixture is one of the leading causes of electrical fires.
Again, this is no joke, make sure you’re aware of the light fixtures highest wattage before installing the bulb, anything above and your safety could be at risk.
Unattended Candles
Incorporating scented candles in your home is a great way of adding a little ambiance, as well as a nice aroma to go with it.
But like any fire, if left unattended can transform its soft glow into a blazer far bigger than what was planned.
If you’re out of the house for whatever reason anything could happen, a pet could knock it over, a draft may cause the flame to flare up and set alight other surrounding flammable items.
Candles are lovely, but to keep them like that you must ensure they are always in sight, as well as out of the reach of pets, children, or flammable materials such as curtains.
Smoking Indoors
This one is perhaps the most obvious.
Cigarettes, pipes, and other smoking materials spark thousands of fires a year.
The consequences of irresponsible smoking in the house are endless.
If put out incorrectly, the embers of a smoke will light up any flammable material in the house, whether that’s a newspaper, curtain, or duvet.
Put bluntly, if you are going to smoke, make sure you do it outside.
Or, you know, don’t smoke at all!
Mistakes Happen
Mistakes are always going to happen, it’s the curse of being human.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be taking proactive steps in safeguarding yourself and your loved ones.
But if that unfortunate habit does lead to a fire in your home, you’ll want to be protected.
Here at Vigor, fire safety is our speciality, so if you want to properly safeguard yourself and your loved ones, it may be time to consider fire doors for your home.
If you’re looking for bespoke fire door designs to enhance your interior or exterior why not get in touch with a member of our highly knowledgeable and friendly team by calling us on 01642 265 034 or emailing us at info@vigordoors.com
