5 Appliances that Can Cause House Fires

8/25/2020 (Permalink)

A few weeks ago, we featured a blog post about different household appliances that can cause water damage or floods in your home. Today, I would like to continue the conversation, but this time focusing on different appliances that can cause house fires in your home. While appliances are completely safe, it is possible for a fire to occur. 

Cooking Ranges

Human error can account for the majority of stove/oven fires, but it is possible to have an electrical error that causes a fire. Electric stoves actually cause more fires than gas stoves. It's important to keep a watchful eye on anything that you are cooking. Also, do not store anything on your stove. 

Dryers

Dryers are the cause of 16,000 fires each year. Most of the fires are related to the lint trap not being cleaned. There can also be electrical issues which can cause a fire. Do not overload your dryer and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 

Dishwashers

Dishwashers are actually the second kitchen appliance that cause the most fires. The combination of water and electricity can cause electrical fires. We recommend not running your dishwasher when you are leaving your home. 

Portable cookers

Slow cookers and chafing dishes are a common cause of house fires. Newer models of these items have timers, but older models do not. If you use an older slow cooker, make sure you aren’t using it overnight or while you are away. 

Refrigerators

This appliance causes a lot more fires than expected. With refrigerators, the cause of the fire is never human error related, but instead electrical. Refrigerators are running all day and all night, and overtime, individual parts of the refrigerator can wear down, including compressors and relay switches, which are the primary causes of refrigerators igniting.