Are you taking the necessary precautions to avoid attic fires? Follow these prevention tips to reduce the chances of a fire.
When asked about where residential fire hazards commonly originate from, most people would say ‘kitchens’, which is true, but few are aware of the fire threats associated with an attic. According to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), attics are responsible for more than 10,000 residential fires in the US, costing $ 440 million in property damages and 35 deaths each year.
Most of the attic fires are attributed to electrical malfunctions resulting from overloaded circuits. If this causes the breaker to fail, the excess draw of energy often results in a fire outbreak. Other causes of attic fires include heating system issues and natural events such as fallen trees or lightning.
Follow these tips to prevent attic fires in your home:
Keep Inspecting the Wiring
Target the most common cause of attic fires first, that is, electric malfunctioning. Since an attic is often the most unvisited place in homes, electrical faults easily go unnoticed. To avoid this, keep visiting the space from time to time, especially if your home has old wiring. As soon as you get the time, consider updating the old wiring.
Install Smoke Detectors
Many homeowners would install smoke detectors in their kitchens and every floor of their home, but not in the attic. Since the attic area mostly remains out of sight, fires often get out of control by the time you find out that fire has erupted in the attic. Hence, you should certainly install a smoke detector in the attic so that you immediately know when an attic fire begins.
Tree Care
Whether you have a garden in your home or not, there shouldn’t be any tree branches hanging above or touching your attic or roof. Any leaves or pieces of bark that fall from the branches can fuel the fire that may have been triggered by lightening.
Depending on the amount of tree debris on your roof, an attic fire can quickly spread to other parts of your home. Tree care is thus extremely important, especially in the summer. If you live in an area vulnerable to wildfires, it’s best not to have any tree around your home at all.
Keep the Space Clean
Whenever you get to cleaning your home, don’t ignore the attic space. Any loose bits of insulation, paper, cardboard, and pieces of wood can make a simple attic fire worse. To prevent the risks of an attic fire, do your best to keep the space clean and eliminate any clutter.
Seek Professional Fire Restoration Services
While the above-explained tips should effectively prevent fire hazards in your attic, if you do experience a fire in the attic or any other area of your home, call a fire restoration professional at your earliest. The fire may have died down, but the smoke and soot left behind can prove just as harmful as the fire itself.
For emergency fire restoration services, contact S.T.O.P today.
