WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9, 2022
Fires can happen in a number of ways. They may occur because of a product defect or as the result of an accident. However, sometimes they are the result of a bad habit or mistake that someone unknowingly makes. Four of these mistakes are discussed below.
Smoking in Bed
People who do this are aware that the ember on their cigarette is a fire hazard that can ignite their bed sheets into flames. However, this is dangerous even when you don’t think you’ll fall asleep. If you’re sufficiently tired and become too relaxed while lying down, sleep will follow.
Rags Soaked in Linseed Oil
Linseed oil is commonly used as a wood polish and sealant. What makes it dangerous is its tendency to combust under certain circumstances. Linseed oil combines with oxygen in the air and produces heat in the process. When it's used as wood polish, the flat wood surface allows this heat to dissipate. 
However, when linseed oil soaked rags are tossed into a box, there isn't enough cooling area within the box for the rags to remain cool. These soaked rags can be thought of as a kind of chemical heat source, and when balled up, the heat is trapped and the rags heat up until they have the potential to catch on fire. Linseed oil soaked rags can be safely placed inside of a sealed metal can that's full of water.
Using Water to Put Out a Grease Fire
This is a common mistake that causes kitchen fires every year. Pouring water on a grease fire causes the water to instantly vaporize because the grease temperature is well above the boiling point of water. This instant vaporization is better described as an explosion which splatters the flaming grease out of the pan and spreads the fire. The correct way to put out a grease fire is to cover the pan with a lid, which deprives the fire of oxygen.
Overloading Circuits
This commonly happens when a large power strip is used to plug too many appliances into one electrical outlet. How many appliances can you safely plug into an outlet? This depends on the circuit itself, as well as the power consumption of the appliances. A general rule of thumb is to only plug one high power appliance into one outlet. An example of a high power appliance is a hair dryer.
Don't let the above mistakes cause a fire in your home. Install smoke detectors and make sure that you have enough home insurance coverage because sometimes accidents happen that are beyond your control.
Protect your home from fire risks. Call Berger Briggs Insurance at for more information on home insurance.
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