With nearly 5,000 residential fires happening during the summer months, it’s important to be very aware and mindful of the most common summer fire risks. After all, the first official day of summer was just this past Tuesday!
Grilling
As one of the biggest summer fire risks, grills have been the cause of some major fires. As a good rule of thumb, maintain a “safe zone” of at least three feet around grills when they’re in use. Clean them thoroughly, removing all grease buildup—and don’t forget the trays below the grill. This will help prevent grease fires. And as a general practice, under no circumstances ever leave a grill unattended. Be sure to drench all coals with water once you’re finished with them.
Watch below for more info and safety tips for grilling:
HVAC Systems
A less-known but still very dangerous summer fire risk is your HVAC system. As we use our air conditioning more during the summer, they can get much more dusty than normal. This dust can settle over capacitors and other electronic components, which can result in fires. Keep an eye on dust build-up, replace filters as needed, and avoid running multiple cooling units at the same time for extended periods of time, as this can cause overheating (also a fire risk). It’s very important to maintain your HVAC system during the summer, as 2,300 residential air conditioning units cause fires each year.
Damaged Wires
During the winter and spring, pests and rodents tend to invite themselves into homes, and lots of them decide to snack on our wiring. It’s a good practice to check on seldomly-used wiring to make sure it hasn’t been chewed through. Sometimes the wiring is in use but not visible, so it’s always smart to check wires for bites and other damage.
Friends Who Smoke
This isn’t just a summer fire risk, but with summertime comes a lot more parties and barbecues. For those of you who have friends who smoke, be very mindful of what they’re doing with their cigars, cigarettes, or anything else they may be smoking. Improperly put out smoking materials are the cause of thousands of fires within a home. This can be a result of carelessness or intoxication, but either way—keep an eye on those smokers.
Storage
As many homeowners use poisons for pests during the summer and host barbecues, flammable liquids such as propane, lighter fluid, and poisons can become a summer fire risk if they are not properly stored. These liquids get used more often during the summer, and it’s important to make sure they’re kept safely stored to avoid fire risks. They should be stored outdoors, preferably in a building not attached to your home, and definitely never in a hot car.
Fireworks
Another big summer fire risk, fireworks deserve some real caution. If fireworks are legal in your state, it’s absolutely crucial that they are supervised. Many fires break out due to improperly set off fireworks at parties in backyards. And if the fireworks aren’t working, never try to re-light them. Instead, douse them with water and don’t attempt to do anything with them. Even smaller fireworks like sparklers and pinwheels may seem safe for small kids, but the truth is, all fireworks should be supervised, no matter how harmless they may seem.
Understanding the common causes of fires during the summer (or anytime) can help you prevent a problem before it happens. At Pro Restoration, we’ve dealt with our share of fire and smoke damage, and we’ve seen the tragedy that fires can cause. If you ever find yourself in need of a fire restoration team, we’re here to help. Serving Las Vegas, Henderson, and the Clark County area, we are experts in the restoration industry. For more information on our services, contact us!