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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Electrical Fires | North Attleboro, MA

7/14/2020 (Permalink)

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Home fires involving electrical failure or malfunction are responsible for an average of 440 deaths and 1,250 injuries in the years 2012-2016. 

Home fires involving electrical distribution and lighting equipment were responsible for 490 deaths and 1,200 injuries in the years 2012-2016.

How do home electrical fires start?

Most home electrical fires start with faulty wiring or other electrical equipment. This is the leading cause of home fires in the United States. 

According to the NFPA, most home electrical fires are caused by arcing. 

Arc faults are caused by damaged wires or connectors. Over time, the damaged electrical elements generate heat that breaks down the wiring insulation and can cause a fire. 

Another leading cause of electrical home fires are faulty outlets or worn out sockets. 

Electrical fire facts 

Electrical fires are less likely to occur between midnight at 8am, but the fires that occur during these hours are accountable for 60% of deaths. 

It is important that you have smoke detectors installed in your home so, in the case of a fire in the middle of the night, you are more likely to wake up and evacuate your family. 

According to this article, 1/5 home electrical fires originated in a kitchen, and 12% in a bedroom. 

Preventing electrical fires 

Most often, causes of electrical fires are hidden in your walls. But if you know the signs and what to look for, they CAN be prevented! 

Look for old wiring, or if you know the wiring and receptacles are old, it's best to call a licensed electrician to make sure your home is up to code. 

As we stated above, arcing is a leading cause of home fires. Most new homes have arc-fault-circuit interrupters that sense arcs and will shut off the breaker before any damage can occur. 

If the worst happens while you are home and awake, you can use your ABC fire extinguisher (effective against electrical equipment) if the fire is manageable enough. After any fire damage, give us a call at 508-223-0505, we're highly trained in fire damage restoration.

Fire cleanup go to: https://www.SERVPROtheattleboros.com/fire-smoke-damage-restoration

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