Reducing The Risk Of House Fires

A house fire is a homeowner's worst nightmare. Even if the property is unoccupied at the time of the fire, or the residents are successfully evacuated, the effects can be devastating. A serious fire can render a property uninhabitable for months while the repairs are going on, and can cause untold damage to your personal property. This is why it is essential that you have both buildings and contents insurance, so that if your house burns down, you will be provided with the funds to repair your home and replace all the possessions that were damaged in the fire. While it is important to insure your property, it is also equally important to take every precaution to prevent a fire from spreading in the first place. Here are some hints and tips to help you protect your home against fire.

Lose The Chip Pan

If you want to enjoy the artery-clogging yet delicious delights of deep-fried chips, go to your local takeaway. Why? Because deep frying food, particularly chips, is one of the biggest fire risks around. In order to deep fry food, the oil has to be heated to a very high temperature, and if it gets too hot, it could catch fire of its own accord. Also, if the pan is too full, oil can splatter out onto the heating element, which can cause the whole pan to catch fire. Another problem is boil-over, which is when water gets into a chip pan, sinks to the bottom, and then rapidly expands causing burning oil to shoot out of the pan. Old-fashioned chip pans are the worst offenders for this. Modern deep fat fryers are a little safer, in that they have temperature controls and splatter guards, but they are still susceptible to problems such as boil-over.

Do Not Smoke In Bed

Another leading causes of house fires is smoking in bed. There are two reasons why this is so dangerous. The first is that bedding tends to be highly flammable, so even if you are still awake, a lit cigarette could cause the bedding to catch fire and spread before you know it. The second risk is that people tend to fall asleep when they are in bed, even if they are sitting up and watching television. If you fall asleep with a lit cigarette in your hand, the chances are that you will drop it on something flammable, such as your duvet, and by the time you wake up your bed will be on fire. So, if you must smoke, don't smoke in bed.

Check Your Wiring

Electrical fires are another common cause of house fires. Go round all the plugs and mains cables in your house and check that there are no exposed wires, broken plugs, or damaged outlets. The wiring behind the wall can also be a fire risk, so it can pay to have it looked over by a qualified electrician if you have not done so recently.

For great deals on home contents insurance, visit the Legal & General website.

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