CULLMAN, Ala. – Former firefighter Duncan Warner recently talk about some common household fire hazards.
Phones
One cause of household fires in Warner’s experience has been individuals leaving phones under their pillows. Whether it is charged or not, he advised that lithium ion batteries get too hot and can explode.
“The majority of the fires that happen in non-cold weather seasons are phones,” he said.
When you charge your phone, keep it on your bedside table, uncovered and ensure your bedspread or curtains aren’t hanging over the outlet.
Vapes
“The coils in vapes get too hot and can potentially blow the battery up,” Warner said, regarding leaving them plugged up overnight unattended.
He also warned if they are too hot, there is a possibility thet can blow up during use.
To avoid this issue, unplug the device when fully charged and be aware of any device recalls.
Heaters
“While in colder weather it is usually space heaters that have collected dust all (year) and haven’t been plugged up in months. Also gas heaters that haven’t been on,” he said.
Keep this in mind during these cold months and prepare ahead of next winter.
Vents
“Dryer vents need to be cleaned out more often; that catches on fire a lot, too.” Warner said.
This is also true of ventilation fans that are most commonly found in bathrooms. The motors collect dust and when turned on with excessive build up, can catch fire.
With dryers, keep the lint trap clean, but also be aware of dryer lint buildup in the ductwork on the back of the machine.
