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August 02, 2021

What Causes House Fires In Arlington And How To Prevent Them

When you’re a homeowner, one of the biggest dangers to your home and loved ones is the potential for a fire. The U.S. Fire Administration calculated in 2019 that American homeowners took on about $1.6 billion in losses by means of accidental or negligent fires. Sadly, fires are sudden and many times preventable -- with a little knowledge of where to act. And hopefully you are equipped with a monitored fire alarm that sends you help fast if you undergo an incident.

What Causes House Fires In Arlington?

Fires may start in nearly any place with no warning on the premises. However, you can lower the threat of a house fire by taking countermeasures around the following objects:

  • Stoves and Ovens: Cooking is the leading cause, by a huge margin, of a house fire in Arlington. Kitchen-related blazes most often result when the kitchen is left neglected during meal preparation. Water thrown on a grease fire can quickly expand a flame that would otherwise die out.

  • Candles: Going to sleep in an area with a lit candle is problematic, even when you use a high-sided candle holder. The flame can easily catch a curtain on fire if left on a window sill, and a dog or cat can topple candlesticks in their playing. The National Fire Protection Association projects that greater than 7,600 homes were damaged due to candle-related accidents between 2014-2018.

  • Electrical wires: Old electrical circuit interrupters, “tamper-resistant” electrical outlets, aging or improperly installed lighting, and frayed lamp cords is a big risk. Don't overwhelm your outlets or plug anything in with exposed wiring. If for any reason you hear crackling or catch a whiff of smoke from the outlet, turn the breaker off prior to checking it out.
  • Space Heaters: Skip over coiled space heaters because debris, like dust, paper, or blankets can accidentally make contact and alight. However, you need to make sure to oversee fan and ceramic space heaters whenever the device is in operation.
  • Cigarettes: Just in 2014, U.S. fire departments responded to more than 17,000 home fires caused by smoking paraphernalia. If you have tobacco products in the house, make sure they never fall asleep with a cigarette or smoke in bed. And fully put out your paraphernalia prior to placing it into a garbage can.

A Monitored Smoke Detector Can Brings Help Quickly When There’s A Fire

If a fire happens to break out, you will need to have an early discovery system to inform your spouse and children before it's too late. An ordinary smoke alarm might be sufficient but is limited to alerting you if smoke is really billowing. A cutting-edge fire alarm -- a security device that's pair with your home security system -- is powerful enough to sense both smoke and excess heat and can do more to make sure your family is safe.

A monitored fire alarm has several it can warn you of smoke. Your alarms can alert your family with a high-decibel siren and a notification to your smartphone. All the while, your always-on monitoring experts gets a hold of the fire department. And should you be somewhere in which you can't speed home when a fire starts, you can have peace of mind that your monitoring agent will maintain communication between you and first responders.

Get Your Monitored Fire Alarms From Secure24 Alarm Systems

The chance of house fires in Arlington should never be written off, but you can rest easier if you use a monitored fire alarm on hand. Contact Secure24 Alarm Systems, and we’ll help you get all the smoke alarms you need with a comprehensive home security system. Call (703) 546-7973 or submit the form below to get your home security system.