Don't Lose Your Home to a Fire

Thousands of homeowners experience devastation due to fires every year according to the US Fire Administration, more than 3,500 Americans die and another 18,000 are injured in fires every year. Some of these fires originate in the home itself while others are in the form of wildfires, which run rampant when conditions are dry and windy. Many of these fires could have been avoided if the proper safeguards were in place.  Let's take a look at some of the main causes of a fire in homes and what can be done to safeguard both your home and your family.

A surprise? The leading cause of fire related deaths is from smoking. Cigarette fires kill more than 1,000 Americans each year and injure another 4,000. Moreover, cigarettes, or more accurately smokers. start a quarter of all fires each year. USA Today has reported that "cigarette fires have been the top cause of U.S. fire fatalities for decades, killing tens of thousands of people in the past 30 years, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a research group that provides data for state and federal fire codes."  These national averages apply to and as well.

Smoker; keep your cigarette butts in one spot and not littered them around your yard and your neighborhood.. Never throw them along roadways, or in dumpsters, trash cans or next to buildings. Another leading cause of fires is children playing with matches and lighters.  Make sure you have a serious talk with your children, no matter their age, about the dangers of fires. More than 100,000 fires are started by children each year and over 30% of those fires end up killing the same children that started them. It can take less than 30 seconds for a small flame to turn into a major fire. Make sure you carry the proper insurance in case your home is the victim of a fire.  If not you may end up selling your home to one of those "" companies.

Be responsible and create a no fire plan for your home.

1. Have smoke detectors on each and every level of your home
2. Never leave a fire, candle, cigarette or cigar unattended.
3. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher, as well as a garden hose at your home.
4. Never build fires or burn brush near your home or during dry and windy conditions
5. Remove dead leaves from gutters and your roof and around the base of your home.
6. If you live on top of a hill, beware that fires spread quickly as they spread uphill. Patios and stone walls can help deflect the flames.
7. Avoid the use of bark chips or mulch around your home, which are highly flammable.

FEMA gives homeowners tips that are valuable about creating a 30 foot safe zone around their DFW homes to help safeguard their property during wildfires. First, fire feeds on vegetation both live and dead. Keep your shrubs at a minimum, remove vines from the walls of your home, and consider pruning branches so that none are within 15 feet of the ground. Also, always keep your firewood stacked at least 100 feet from any building structure.

1. Use fire-resistant building materials when possible.
2. Cover your homes vents with wire mesh to keep embers from entering the home.
3. Prepare to store water and have an external water supply, such as a small pond, well, or pool.
4. Avoid flammable roofing materials and instead choose single ply membranes, slate, fiberglass shingles, metal, clay or concrete tile.

Sometimes there's no matter what you do there are times when nothing that can be done to prevent a fire.  A thoughtful and responsible homeowner takes all possible precautions to safeguard their home and loved ones in the event that a fire does occur.