To paraphrase an ad…what’s in your wall? A client who lives nearby had a major rat infestation which eventually manifested itself into a serious home fire. The fire investigator determined the cause to be exposed wiring as a result of the rats chewing on the rubber insulation. This article has changed my behavior in a couple of ways: dishwasher does not go on right before bedtime and the dryer stays off while I’m out of the house.
Here are five surprise fire starters in your home:
- Rainfall – When water is exposed to electricity it can cause what is called a leakage current, which can cause a fire;
- Dishwasher – dishwasher fires are caused by liquids coming into contact with the machine’s wires;
- Jars and other glass objects – think refracted sunlight; an empty Nutella jar was found to be the culprit for a house fire in London in 2015;
- Rodents
- Laptops – those lithium ion batteries are the culprit
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