House fire prevention tips to protect your family and assets

Your home isn't just a cozy, comfortable place to raise a family. It's also likely one of your biggest financial investments.

Many residential fires are preventable. From common sense actions like turning off the stove when you leave the room to often overlooked measures like scheduling an annual chimney inspection, these effective steps can help protect your family and belongings.

Heating system malfunctions, carelessness with flammable materials and electrical accidents are common causes for house fires. However, the No. 1 cause of residential fires in the U.S. is cooking accidents Opens in New Window.‍ ‍ ^{See note 1}

Prevent cooking fires.

Whether you're cooking for the holidays or preparing daily meals, most of the time an oven or stove is required. These simple steps can help prevent kitchen fires while you're channeling your inner gourmet chef:

• Stay put: Never leave cooking food unattended. If you're leaving the room or your house while cooking, turn the burners and oven off.
• Keep eyes on the prize: Watch what you're cooking to ensure smoke and grease don't catch fire.
• Think backward: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so they can't be bumped or tipped over.
• Put a lid on it: Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby to cover pots that catch fire.
• Think ahead: Keep a well-maintained fire extinguisher in your kitchen. In the event a fire breaks out, you'll be able to contain the spread.

Monitor your home heating system.

Home heating systems are designed to last for years, but to get the best results from any unit, routine and preventative maintenance is required. To get the most out of your heaters, the U.S. Fire Administration and FEMA suggest these tips Opens in New Window:‍ ‍ ^{See note 1}

• Hire professionals to inspect and maintain your furnace, water heater and boiler. These professionals are trained to ensure ducts are free from debris and that the system is performing efficiently.
• If your home has a fireplace, hire a professional chimney sweep to inspect and clean your flue at least once a year. Another option is to frequently make use of chimney cleaning creosote logs to prevent soot and build up. Use a mesh fireplace screen to prevent sparks and embers from landing outside the fireplace.
• Never use a space heater without a built in emergency cut off that engages if it's tipped over. And never leave a space heater unattended.

Monitor appliances and electrical system.

As is the case with your heating system, frequent inspection and maintenance of your home's electrical grid can dramatically help reduce the potential for fire hazards. Look for frayed cords in older appliances and follow these tips:

• Have your wiring checked by a professional electrician, particularly if your home is more than 10 years old. The older the home, the more susceptible it may be to electrical fires. An electrician can safely replace frayed, faulty or worn out wiring systems to reduce the fire risk.
• Don't overload your home's electrical outlets. When everyone has a smartphone or computer to charge, it can be easy to overburden outlets. Remember that electrical wire and outlets are only built to provide a certain amount of electricity at a given time. Maxing them out can potentially create sparks that can lead to a fire.
• Use surge protectors to prevent electrical surges.
• Never leave appliances like dishwashers, dryers or washers running when no one is home.

Properly store flammable items.

Many homeowners make the mistake of storing highly flammable materials under the sink or in a closet, basement, or utility room. But storing them in improperly ventilated or warm places is dangerous. Flammable materials like gasoline, diesel fuel, paint thinner, turpentine and aerosol sprays are a major cause of house fires across the U.S. each year.

Follow these steps for proper storage:

• Store highly flammable liquids in a well ventilated area, ideally one that's detached from the house itself, such as a garage or storage shed.
• Keep flammable materials in their original containers, not in everyday items like plastic milk jugs or food storage containers. Chemicals become more volatile when improperly stored.
• Keep flammable materials away from kitchen and other household appliances, electrical tools and any other potential sources of sparks or heat.

Install smoke detectors and keep fire extinguishers.

There are a variety of preventative steps you can take to reduce the risk of a fire starting in your home. Place smoke detectors on every level, including the basement, and outside every bedroom. Make sure to test your smoke detectors regularly to ensure each alarm is working properly. Experts also recommend having at least one portable fire extinguisher in the home. Fire extinguishers can put out or contain small fires and keep them from spreading.

Prepare with home insurance coverage.

A homeowners insurance policy can cover your home in case of damage, fire, most weather related events, theft and vandalism. Get help with the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home if it's damaged by a covered event with dwelling coverage. If you aren't able to live in your home following a covered event, your policy may help pay for your temporary living expenses thanks to loss of use coverage.