5 Bad Habits That Can Start a House Fire
Stop! Drop! And quit those nasty homeowner habits! There are things you’re doing (and not doing) that will increase your home’s risk of catching fire. To keep your home (and family) protected from possible house fires, make sure you’re putting a stop to these bad habits:
- Falling Victim to Excess Lint – Dryer Lint is one of the most flammable things that exist within your home. Unfortunately, it can build up in different areas inside and outside of this heating-creating appliance. Make sure you empty the lint trap after each load of laundry, while also clearing the dryer vent, exhaust duct, and inside of the frame multiple times per year.
- Mismatching Your Bulbs – Just because there’s a light socket, doesn’t mean you can throw in any old bulb! If you wind up putting a light bulb in that exceeds the wattage of the socket, you’re just asking for an electrical fire to start!
- Connecting Extension Cords – Extension cords should never be connected together and should only be used for short periods of time. Connecting too many together and using them each and every day can increase their risk of overheating, thus causing house fires. If you need to use an extension cord that often, contact an electrician to install a new outlet in the desired location.
- Ignoring Your Dusting Duties – Homeowners should be dusting their homes on a weekly basis to improve indoor air quality and efficiency of systems. HVAC and electrical systems are oftentimes magnets for dust and should be cleared on a regular basis. This will help decrease the chances of house fires while also improving their efficiency.
- Being Your Own Electrician – Nothing is more dangerous than repairing your own electrical system. Electric shock and possible fires can occur during installation or repair of electrical lines and receptacles – as well as later down the road if they were improperly installed. Hiring a professional electrician will save you money in inevitable repairs and re-installation in the near future.
House fires can start in an instant, so it’s up to you to keep your home’s risk at a minimum. When you need a professional electrician to inspect, repair or install something in your home’s electrical system, contact Lancaster Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at (717) 207-8198.
