Now that summer is finally here, building a fire in your fireplace is probably the last thing you think about. This also means that you aren’t giving much thought to the possibility of a house fire, either. However, summer is the time to think about house fires and things you can do to prevent them. At Chimney Doctors of Colorado, we have some tips to help you stay far away from ever having a house fire, learn more below.
Causes of House Fires
Although we often think of chimneys and fireplaces being causes of house fires, there are other causes too. One example of how a house fire can start can be from electrical appliances around the house. These include a space heater, a slow cooker, or even a toaster with a frayed cord, and if the wires are uncovered, they could easily spark to cause a fire. Even outlets with too many things plugged into it is a huge fire hazard.
There are countless fire hazards around the house, especially if you are not careful. Candles that are left burning or are placed too close to flammable materials. Leaving a gas stove burner on unattended. If this happens and the flame blows out, gas could leak; all it takes is a spark to cause a major house fire. In all of these circumstances, a little prevention is all it takes. Be aware of the condition of the items you plug in and be careful when using anything that includes a flame. The most important thing, however, is to make sure that your smoke detectors are working, and you have working fire extinguishers that are easily accessible on every floor of your home.
Vents and Chimneys
Two major causes of house fires are your chimney and clothes dryer. One of the natural byproducts of the combustion process for your chimney is creosote. This condensed form of smoke can adhere to the interior of your chimney. Creosote is extremely flammable. If you have even as little as an eighth of an inch of buildup, and a spark or ember floats up to your chimney, it could easily ignite into a chimney fire. Sometimes, this results in a catastrophic home fire, but most often a chimney fire goes undetected, causing damage to the chimney that the homeowner is unaware of.
Your clothes dryer is also a danger zone when it comes to house fires. Most people are aware of the importance of cleaning the lint tray after every load or two of clothes. Unfortunately, some lint still does get through that screen, where it floats through the dryer vents to the great outdoors. Because it is moist from the drying process, it can easily adhere to the interior of the dryer vent on the way out, and a buildup of lint. Lint is highly flammable, and all it takes is a spark, and you have a full-fledged house fire.
For both of these potential fire hazards, a call to Chimney Doctors of Colorado is the best prevention. Our chimney inspection and cleaning process ensure that your family is safe from the dangers of creosote buildup, and we do dryer vent cleanings as well! Give us a call today!