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August 02, 2021

What Causes House Fires In Fort Wayne And How To Prevent Them

As a homeowner, one of the biggest perils to your home and loved ones is the chance of fire. The U.S. Fire Administration calculated in 2019 that American homeowners took on nearly $1.6 billion in costs as the result of accidental or careless fires. Sadly, fires are sudden and many times stoppable -- if you know where to look. And, luckily, you are ready with a monitored fire alarm that gets you emergency responders ASAP should you experience an incident.

What Causes House Fires In Fort Wayne?

Fires can happen in any spot without notice in the home. However, you can lower the threat of a blaze if you take safety measures around the following household objects:

  • Stoves and Ovens: Cooking is far and away the leading cause of a house fire in Fort Wayne. Kitchen-related blazes commonly start when the kitchen is left unattended while cooking food. Water tossed on a grease fire only works to spread a flame that would alternatively be contained.

  • Candles: Passing out in an area with a going candle is problematic, even if you’re using a high-sided candle holder. The flame can easily catch a curtain ablaze if left on a window sill, and animals can topple candlesticks in their playing. The National Fire Protection Association projects that more than 7,600 homes were damaged because of candle-related accidents between 2014-2018.

  • Electrical wires: Faulty electrical circuit interrupters, “tamper-resistant” electrical outlets, malfunctioning or improperly set up lighting, and split lamp cords can all cause a fire. Be sure not to overburden your outlets or plug any object in with exposed electrical components. And if you hear a pop or smell smoke from the outlet, power down the breaker off prior to investigating.
  • Space Heaters: Skip over coiled space heaters because waste, like dust bunnies, paper, or covers can accidentally make contact and spark up. However, you should also oversee fan and ceramic space heaters for the entire duration of operation.
  • Cigarettes: In 2014 alone, U.S. fire departments fought blazes in more than 17,000 house fires started by cigars, pipes, or cigarettes. So if you have a smoker that smokes indoors, ensure they never take a nap with a cigarette or smoke in bed. And fully snuff out your paraphernalia before you throw it into a trash can.

A Monitored Smoke Detector Can Help When You Have A Fire

If a fire should start, you have to have a speedy discovery system to alert your loved ones before it gets serious. An ordinary smoke alarm might be sufficient but is limited to alerting you if smoke is abundant. An advanced fire alarm -- a piece of equipment that's pair with your home security system -- is able to detect both smoke and excess heat and has more features to ensure your family is safe.

A monitored fire alarm has multiple ways it can alert you of a fire. Your alarms can inform your loved ones with an ear-piercing tone and an alert to your cell phone. That’s when your ever-vigilant monitoring experts will contact the fire department. And should you be somewhere in which you’re unable to get home when a fire breaks out, you can rest assured that your monitoring agent can help coordinate communication between you and emergency personnel.

Get Your Monitored Fire Alarms From Secure24 Alarm Systems

The possibility of house fires in Fort Wayne should never be written off, but you can rest assured if you have a monitored fire alarm on the premises. Contact Secure24 Alarm Systems, and we’ll help you get all the fire detectors you need with a state-of-the-art home security system. Call (260) 203-1992 or send in the form below to get started.