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August 02, 2021

What Causes House Fires In Athens And Ways To Avoid Them

When you own a home, one of the most menacing perils to your home and family is the potential for a fire. The U.S. Fire Administration projected in 2019 that American homeowners suffered about $1.6 billion in costs by means of unintentional or unattended fires. Unfortunately, fires are sudden and many times stoppable -- if you know where to start. And, fortunately, you are ready with a monitored fire alarm that gets you help fast should you ever have an incident.

What Causes House Fires In Athens?

Fires may start anywhere at any time in the home. However, you can lower the danger of fire by taking precautions around the following household objects:

  • Stoves and Ovens: Cooking is far and away the leading cause of a house fire in Athens. Kitchen-related fires most often begin when the kitchen goes unattended while making the meal. Water used on a grease fire only works to spread a flame that would otherwise die out.

  • Candles: Nodding off in an area with a going candle is dangerous, even when you use a deep candle holder. The flame can blow and catch a curtain on fire if left on a window sill, and pets can topple candlesticks in their playing. The National Fire Protection Association projects that just over 7,600 houses were damaged because of candle-related accidents between 2014-2018.

  • Electrical wires: Corroded electrical circuit interrupters, “tamper-resistant” electrical outlets, degrading or poorly installed lighting, and frayed lamp cords are all prone to sparks. Be careful not to overburden your outlets or plug anything in with uncovered electrical components. And if you hear crackling or detect smoke from the outlet, power down the breaker off before investigating.
  • Space Heaters: Look past coiled space heaters because waste, like dust bunnies, paper, or covers can accidentally make contact and alight. However, you need to make sure to monitor fan and ceramic space heaters at all times when in usage.
  • Cigarettes: Just in 2014, U.S. fire departments came to more than 17,000 residence fires caused by smoking paraphernalia. If you have tobacco products that smokes indoors, be certain they never pass out with a cigarette or lay in bed with one. And fully snuff out your tobacco items before you throw 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 have to have a speedy warning system to alert your family members before it gets serious. A traditional smoke alarm could suffice but is limited to alerting you if smoke is really billowing. A state-of-the-art fire alarm -- a piece of equipment that's tied to your home security network -- can detect both smoke and excess heat and is better equipped to make sure everyone is safe.

A monitored fire alarm has multiple ways it can inform you of rising heat. Your alarms can inform you with a high-decibel siren and a message to your mobile device. That’s when your ever-vigilant monitoring experts gets a hold of the fire department. And if you're ever somewhere in which you’re unable to race you your house when a fire breaks out, you can have peace of mind that your monitoring agent will maintain contact between you and first responders.

Get Your Monitored Fire Alarms From Secure24 Alarm Systems

The odds of house fires in Athens should never be written off, but you can rest easier if you install a monitored fire alarm in your home. Contact Secure24 Alarm Systems, and we’ll help you install all the fire sensors you need with a comprehensive home security system. Call (706) 397-7344 or submit the form below to get started.