Why Fire Risks Rise in Winter

The weather outside may be frightful. Nothing seems better during winter weather than a nice warm home and a warm blanket.

However, by warming up, there’s also an increasing risk of fires. Heat consumption during the winter months is much higher than other times of the year. And where there is heat, there is always the risk of flames.

Many normal household practices raise a fire risk during the winter. Your fireplace, your appliances and other household items pose the risk of fires.

If a fire does happen, your homeowners insurance will likely cover damages and replacement costs. However, negligence by a homeowner that causes a fire may be a reason for insurance to deny you a fire claim.

Be safe, know the risks.

Why do fire risks increase in winter?

Here are just a few of the reasons a home’s fire risks increase in winter.

• You might have a fireplace and chimney. These can be beautiful home features. If you don’t take fire prevention steps, these fires can spread and cause damage.
• You might have plants indoors. People often bring their outdoor plants indoors during winter. That’s not to mention Christmas trees and other decorations. Plants and other items can easily dry out and become much more flammable.
• People use more energy in winter. You are likely to warm your home with a heating system or a space heater. These systems may overburden your electrical or furnace systems. Overburdened systems can cause outlets to spark or fires to erupt.
• But, these aren’t the only risks of fires during winter. A candle left burning during a power outage can cause fires also.

What can you do to reduce risks?

• If you build a fire, make sure that you take steps to contain the fire. Use screens to keep sparks from flying into a room and landing on furniture. You should always extinguish these fires completely. Never let them smolder.
• Make sure that your chimney is clean. If ashes and other residual debris accumulate in a chimney, they can easily cause fires to start.
• Don’t overburden heating systems. Make sure before the season starts that these systems are working properly. Make sure that your outlets work properly.
• Don’t place flammable objects near sources of heat.
• Blow out candles when you aren’t in a room.
• Winter indoor plants and move dead plants away from the home immediately.

There is an increased fire risk in your home during the winter. You should make sure that you take steps to ensure that fires don’t occur.