Have you eliminated all of the hidden fire hazards in your home? I have to tell you that there were a few that I didn’t catch until I learned about them from an interactive exposition about fire safety.
Yesterday, I covered two hidden fire hazards that are commonly overlooked in the home, one of which I was guilty of having. I want to share some more of these, in the hopes that it will keep everyone safe.
The dryer we currently have spews lint out at me every time I open the door after a load. I hate this about the dryer, but it is certainly a visual reminder about link build up.
I clean my lint filter in my dryer every time I use it, but did you know that isn’t enough to prevent a fire from starting in your dryer? Lint still builds up inside the dryer cabinet, which unfortunately is the place that also houses the heating element. You can find it at the back or the bottom of the machine. If you have enough lint build up, a fire can start.
To prevent this from happening, hire a professional to clean it all out every two years.
The Wiring
Most people don’t think about the wiring in their homes because it is hidden away in the walls. This is a mistake, since electrical fires account for more than 50,000 fires a year, according to the National Fire Protection Agency. There are many things that can go wrong with wires in the walls and lead to fire. You might have bad insulation, worn or corroded wires, loose connections, or even wires that are pierced by driving a nail or a screw into the wall to hang a picture.
To reduce your risk from an electrical fire, make sure you replace regular circuit breakers with arc-fault circuit interrupters. They are cheap and could save your life.
Wait, we still have a couple more hidden fire hazards in your home to cover. Check back in the Home Blog for the next post.
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The Hidden Fire Hazards in Your Home
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