The United States Fire Administration (USFA) reported that 6.3 percent of all residential fires between 2014 and 2016 were caused by electrical problems. Annually, about 24,000 fires are reported due to electrical issues. The high rate of residential fires caused by electrical problems makes it necessary for homeowners to pay attention to their electrical systems. Walters Wholesale Electric Co. extracted some key facts from the United States Fire Administration (USFA) electrical fires report. These facts include;
- One- and two-family dwellings account for as many as 83 percent of the total residential building electrical fires.
- Most residential electrical fires occur in the winter months. January accounts for a total of 12 percent of fires. This can be linked to an increase in the use of lights and heating appliances.
- Only 17 percent of residential fires were confined to the area where the fire started.
- Bedrooms are the commonest areas where residential fires start with a 15 percent frequency. Vacant crawl spaces and attics are next with a 13 percent frequency.
- While most fires start in the bedroom, fires that start in the living room, den, and family room often account for the most fatalities.
- Electrical wires, cable insulations, and structural member or framing are the leading items that are first ignited in residential fires.
- Electrical failures and malfunctions account for 43 percent of the leading causes of electrical fires. This is followed by unspecified short-circuit arcs at 23 percent and short-circuit arcs from worn or defective insulation at 11 percent.
The Most Common Causes of Electrical Fires
Outdated, Worn Electrical Wiring
Most homes are more than 20-30 years old. This means that their electrical wiring was done 30 years ago. Older electrical wiring does not meet up with today’s safety codes and may create a problem for the home residents. Not only do these electrical wirings fail to meet up to the current safety and building codes, but the wires are also old thus may be damaged in some areas. Homeowners may not know this and may load the old wires with new electrical appliances that put more pressure on the wires. The result of the added pressure may lead to electrical sparks that can cause fire problems. The earliest signs of a pending fire problem can be in the form of power outages, frequent circuit breaker overloads, electrical shocks, and others. To prevent electrical fires, hire a qualified electrician to take a look at the problem.
Faulty Electrical Outlets
A significant number of residential fires start from electrical outlets. Older underground outlets are more likely to spark, cause a breach, and lead to electrical fires. In some cases, grounded outlets may also lead to electrical fires if the wire comes loose. If you have GFCI outlets installed, this can help arrest the fire by tripping electrical circuits off when electrical shorts occur. To prevent fires in this situation, hire an electrician to inspect the electrical outlets in your home. You should also watch out for the signs of water damage as this can affect the electrical outlets. Look out for signs of wear, soot deposit around the sockets or switches, and tighten loose wires.
Electrical Circuit Overload
When there are too many cords plugged into a single power source, the chance of disaster increases. Many homeowners use a single extension cord to plug several energy-consuming appliances; this is also a recipe for disaster. Avoid doing this as it can cause circuit overload, and this can lead to electrical fires. A good way to address this problem is to use multiple outlets. You can also dedicate outlets to power-consuming appliances, thus reducing the load on each electrical outlet.
Old Appliances
Old electrical appliances aren’t optimized for today’s use. Many new appliances in the market are energy efficient; however, the older appliances aren’t. If you have an old appliance in your home, there is a chance that it has materials that violate fire, safety, and construction regulations. To reduce the chance of electrical fires caused by loose wiring, frayed cords, and outdated electrical systems, replace old appliances. Also, watch out for old appliances that make strange noises. Call on an electrician as fast as possible to take a look at the problem.
Light Fixtures
High wattage bulbs are not to be installed in every light fixture. Some light fixtures are designed for low-wattage bulbs and can cause fire problems when an undue load is placed on them. It is best to speak to your electrician before changing bulbs out of light fixtures. If you want brighter lights, your electrician can provide a safe and reliable solution that won’t pose fire-risks.
