While cooking with grease, smoking in bed, plugging too many appliances into a faulty outlet, and misusing a space heater may be among the top causes of fires breaking out in the home, they are not the only fire safety risks. Candles, in particular, can be quite dangerous, with National Fire Protection Association reporting that an average of 7,600 home fires get started each year from this seemingly innocuous source of flame. What's more, candles result in around 80 deaths and 680 injuries annually, as well as causing some $278 million in damage to homes and other property.
Real Insurance lists several other lesser-known but still severe hazards found in the average home, including flammable liquids, barbecue grills, and even lampshades that come into too-close contact with the bulbs they're meant to protect. Lamps that are prone to tip over can also be risky, since a light bulb that makes contact with a chair arm or carpet could generate enough heat to start a fire. The insurers also point out that curious young children who come across matches or lighters may well meet with tragic results. Not only is it extremely important to keep all such items under lock and key, but you should make sure that even the youngest children know how to "stop, drop, and roll" and where to meet up with the rest of the family should you need to evacuate the house in a hurry.
