ADT® Authorized Dealer Serving Wilmington, NC & Surrounding Areas
mother/daughter at bedtime with smoke sensor
August 02, 2021

What Causes House Fires In Wilmington And Ways To Avoid Them

When you own a home, one of the biggest threats to your home and family is the potential for a fire. The U.S. Fire Administration calculated in 2019 that American homeowners took on about $1.6 billion in losses by means of unforeseen or careless fires. The terrible truth is fires are sudden and many times preventable -- if you know where to start. And hopefully you are ready with a monitored fire alarm that gets you aid immediately should you experience an incident.

What Causes House Fires In Wilmington?

Fires may start in any spot without notice in the home. However, you may reduce the danger of fire if you take safety measures around the following items:

  • Stoves and Ovens: Cooking is the leading cause, by a huge margin, of a house fire in Wilmington. Cooking-related flames typically begin when the kitchen is left ignored while cooking food. Water used on a grease fire will spread a flame that would alternatively be easily handled.

  • Candles: Going to sleep in a room with a going candle is problematic, even if you’re using a high-sided candle holder. The flame is more than capable of catching a curtain on fire if left near a window, and animals can knock candles over. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that just over 7,600 properties were damaged because of candle-related fires between 2014-2018.

  • Electrical wires: Corroded electrical circuit interrupters, “tamper-resistant” electrical outlets, aging or improperly set up lighting, and split lamp cords are all prone to sparks. Be careful not to overload your outlets or plug anything in with bare wires. And if you hear crackling or catch a whiff of smoke from the outlet, flip the breaker off prior to investigating.
  • Space Heaters: Avoid coiled space heaters because waste, like dust bunnies, old papers, or bed sheets can find their way in and alight. However, you need to make sure to monitor fan and ceramic space heaters whenever the device is in use.
  • Cigarettes: In 2014 alone, U.S. fire departments responded to more than 17,000 house fires started by smoking paraphernalia. If you enjoy tobacco in the house, make sure they never pass out with a cigarette or lay in bed with one. And fully snuff out your cigarette before you throw it into a waste bin.

A Monitored Smoke Detector Can Brings Help Quickly When There’s A Fire

If a fire should start, you have to have a speedy warning system to alert your spouse and children before it gets serious. A common smoke alarm might be sufficient but is limited to alerting you if smoke is in thick clouds. An advanced fire alarm -- a piece of equipment that's pair with your home security devices -- is able to detect both smoke and excess heat and has more features to make sure everyone’s safety.

A monitored fire alarm has several ways it can alert you of smoke. Your alarms will notify you with a high-decibel tone and a message to your smartphone. That’s when your ever-vigilant monitoring experts gets a hold of the fire department. And if you're ever somewhere where you’re unable to get you your house when a fire blazes, you can have peace of mind that your monitoring agent will facilitate communication between you and first responders.

Get Your Monitored Fire Alarms From Secure24 Alarm Systems

The odds of house fires in Wilmington should never be discounted, but you can have peace of mind if you have a monitored fire alarm on hand. Contact Secure24 Alarm Systems, and we’ll help you install all the fire sensors you need with a comprehensive home security system. Call (910) 263-6334 or fill out the form below to get started.