How do I lower the risk of a house fire?

The short list that matters most

Most house fires start from a short list of causes, and most of the defences are cheap. Put working smoke alarms on every level, stay at the stove, keep heaters and anything that burns apart, keep the dryer and its vent clear of lint, treat warm outlets and damaged cords as a repair, and have heating equipment and chimneys inspected every year.

A fire can become life-threatening in just two minutes, and a residence can be engulfed in flames in five minutes.^[1] That is why the first item is about warning, not prevention.

Smoke alarms

A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.^[1] The U.S. Fire Administration says to install smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area and on every level of the home.^[2] Choose interconnected alarms, so that when one sounds, they all sound.^[2]

Age matters. Smoke alarms need to be replaced 10 years from the manufacture date.^[2] Replace batteries twice a year, unless you are using 10-year lithium batteries.^[1] Never disable a smoke alarm while cooking, because it can be a deadly mistake.^[1]

The USFA recommends both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms, or dual-sensor smoke alarms, because the two types detect different types of fires.^[2] Your city, county or state may require a specific type of alarm, so check with your local fire marshal.^[2] Only qualified electricians should install hardwired smoke alarms.^[2]

Cooking

Cooking is, by far, the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.^[3] The leading factor contributing to ignition in nonconfined home cooking fires was unattended equipment (37%).^[3]

So stand by your pan: if you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off.^[3] Fires start when the heat is too high, and if you see any smoke or the grease starts to boil, the USFA says to turn the burner off.^[3]

Heating and fireplaces

Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from all heat sources including fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, space heaters or candles.^[4] Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.^[4]

Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.^[4] In Virginia, the Code defines a tradesman as someone who does work for the general public for compensation in the trades of electrical, plumbing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.^[9] Ask for a licence number and look it up before anyone opens up your furnace or boiler.

The dryer and its vent

Fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct, which can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire in some dryers.^[6] The USFA says you are at higher risk of having a clothes dryer fire if you do not clean your lint filter and dryer vents.^[5]

Clean the lint filter before and after each cycle, and check that the outdoor vent covering opens when the dryer is operating.^[5] Have your dryer installed and serviced by a professional.^[5]

Outlets, cords and wiring

Do not overload outlets or power strips, and replace worn, old or damaged extension cords right away.^[7] Never use an extension cord with a major appliance, because the extension cord can overheat and start a fire.^[7] Always plug major appliances, such as refrigerators, stoves, washers and dryers, directly into a wall outlet.^[7]

Pay attention to the outlets and switches you use every day. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says improperly operating outlets or switches may indicate an unsafe wiring condition, and that a loose screw holding a wire or a worn out switch can lead to electrical arcing, overheating, or a fire.^[8] Unusually warm outlets or switches may also indicate one, and the advice is to stop using them until an electrician checks the problem.^[8]

Wiring problems are not a weekend project. Do not open a panel, outlet box or switch to chase a warm outlet yourself.

Make an escape plan

Find two ways to get out of each room in the event the primary way is blocked by fire or smoke.^[1] Practice your home fire escape plan twice each year.^[1]

When to call a licensed pro

Call a licensed electrician or licensed heating and cooling contractor, not a handyman, for any of the following:

• Warm outlets or switches, or ones that work improperly. Stop using them until an electrician checks the problem.^[8]
• Hardwired smoke alarms that need installing or replacing, which should be done by a qualified electrician.^[2]
• A furnace, boiler, fireplace, wood stove or chimney that has not been cleaned and inspected this year.^[4]
• A dryer that needs installing or servicing, which the USFA says to leave to a professional.^[5]

Virginia's Board for Contractors says that if the work you are considering is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia Contractor's License is required for the license category in which the contractor is to work.^[10] Unlicensed contracting is against the law.^[10] If you contract with someone who does not hold a license, the Board for Contractors may not be able to help you resolve a complaint.^[10] Check a licence at DPOR's licence lookup before you sign.

If a fire has already happened

Prevention lowers the risk but cannot remove it. If you have had even a small fire, read what to do after a house fire in Virginia, what happens during fire and smoke damage restoration and how much smoke damage cleanup costs in Virginia. Browse more restoration answers or restoration pros on Loclis.

If a warm outlet or failing circuit is the problem, describe the electrical job and licensed local electricians quote it.