Take Note! Top Causes for Fall and Winter Fires

As temperatures drop, our team starts getting called out for fire and smoke restoration right alongside frozen pipe calls.

When a fire occurs, the fire department puts it out with hundreds or thousands of gallons of water. That leaves homeowners dealing with a combination of fire, smoke, and major water damage all at once. The good news is that most fall and winter heating fires are preventable.

Here are the top causes of heating season fires we see every year and simple ways to keep your home safe.

Space Heaters Placed Too Close to Things

Keep a clear three foot safety zone around every space heater. Move curtains, blankets, couches, and rug edges away from the heat source. Always plug space heaters straight into a wall outlet instead of an extension cord or power strip, which can easily overheat. Turn them completely off, and unplug them whenever you leave the room or head to sleep.

Dirty Chimneys and Unmaintained Fireplaces

Creosote builds up inside your chimney liner every time you burn wood and it is extremely flammable. When the fireplace gets hot enough, that built up creosote can ignite and spark a dangerous chimney fire that spreads to the roof and walls.

Hire a certified chimney sweep to inspect and clean your chimney once a year before lighting your first fire of the season.

Neglected Furnaces and Heating Units

Furnaces sit idle all spring and summer. When you turn them back on in the fall, dust sitting on internal heating elements can scorch. Worn out electrical parts can also fail under the sudden load.

Schedule a quick HVAC checkup before winter sets in. Swap out your air filters on time because a clogged filter forces your furnace to run much hotter than it should.

Overloaded Outlets and Holiday Lights

Electrical use spikes during colder weather. Between space heaters, heated blankets, and holiday decorations, circuits get overworked fast. Avoid plugging multiple extension cords into each other. Check holiday light strands for damaged wires or sockets before putting them up.

Quick Safety Checks for Any Home

Test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms today and replace old batteries before turning the heat on for the season.

Store fireplace ashes in a metal bucket with a tight lid. Keep that bucket outside on dirt or concrete, well away from wooden decks or side walls.

Know where your main water shutoff valve is located! If firefighters ever have to douse a blaze in your home, turning off the water main quickly helps control extra flooding from damaged pipes.

Stay safe and warm this season. If you ever run into fire, smoke, or water damage, we are ready to help 24/7, 365!