Learning More About Attic Fires

11/7/2017 (Permalink)

This is what a fire in the attic looks like.

Attic fires are a growing problem that we see happening in our community. Every year we receive a decent amount of calls from customers who unfortunately suffered a loss due to a fire in their attic. Today we want to talk about some of the main causes and what can homeowners do to prevent this from happening to them. First the main causes are:

• Heating systems; most houses have a traditional HVAC heating, ventilation, and cooling system. The accumulation of dust and other particles in the duct work could increase the chances to start a fire. It is important to remember that the furnace should be inspected at least every year to ensure that is working correctly.
• Electrical issues; this is one of the most common causes of fires in an attic, any malfunction of the electrical systems can create a fire. We recommend that you hire an electrician to inspect the wiring in the attic. Also, always be careful when using any electrical appliances in the attic, make sure to unplug any devices before you leave the attic.
• Natural causes; lighting, rain water that gets in contact with electrical wires, and even fallen trees are classified as possible natural causes. For these type of cause the best recommendation is to ensure that you use fire-retardant materials and inspect the condition of your room yearly.

Some of the things that you can do to prevent an attic fire is to take some of the following precautions:

• Inspect your attic; make a habit to inspect this part of your house. This is not a common place of reunion in your house and it can pass sometime before you even go there, but we encourage you to inspect it because checking the electrical wires and making sure everything is safe could save you from an attic fire loss.
• Smoke Detectors; It is always a good idea to install a smoke detector in this part of your house. That way if something happen you will know with enough time and you will be able to get out of the house and call for help instead of knowing after the fire is coming down the house and triggering the other alarms.
• Make sure it is clean; it is important to maintain the area clean of any type of clutter that could increase the risk of starting a fire.

We hope that no one in our community experience a fire loss in the attic, but sometimes things happen and we are here to help. If you ever need us please give us a call and we will be happy to help you to clean and restore your home. SERVPRO of Dover/Stillwater.