Harleysville-Lansdale Real Estate and More: Preventing Outlet Fires In Your Home

As a followup to yesterday's blog, Damage Control: What to do Until Help Arrives, we wanted to do a piece on the leading causes of house fires.  They are:

1. Cooking and cooking equipment (accounts for 40% of all house fires)
2. Space heaters
3. Smoking
4. Electrical (behind the walls - faulty electrical wiring)
5. Electrical (lighting - mainly too high wattage of bulbs causing the lamp to catch fire or closet/attic bulbs with no protective covering causing nearby stored materials to catch fire)
6. Candles
7. Arson
8. Blocked dryer vents
9. Lightning
10. Fireplaces

So as you can see from this list, most but not all house fires are preventable.  Caution and common sense are needed for daily living to keep your home safe.  However, while some causes are readily apparant and caused by the actions of a homeowner, other are more onerous such as #4 faulty electrical wiring.

A loose connection can cause an electrical outlet or switch to catch fire.  One of the simplest things you can do to prevent a fire is to tighten up or replace old outlets and light switches.  If there is a loose or broken connection anywhere in an electric circuit, the electricity can jump across the void.  A void (or break) can be caused by loose connections, nicks in the wire's protective coating or any other insulators, or corrosion inside a connection.  In these cases, the electricity can jump or "arc" across the void.  In the void, the electricity actually ionizes the air around it to form a super-heated plasma. If there is anything the plasma can touch that is not fireproof, it can catch fire quickly and cause a fire.

What about GFCI's?

A GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) protects against ground faults and will not reduce the chance of a fire in the case of a loose connection.  GFCI's will keep someone from getting shocked or electrocuted if there is a ground fault.  Ground faults occur when a live wire breaks free and touches the device's metal case or when water enters an electrical outlet and can cause the conduction of electricity outside the outlet. GFCI's are typically required around sources of water (i.e. kitchens, bathrooms) and unfinished areas of the home (i.e. basements, garages).

What about circuit breakers?

A circuit breaker only protects against power surges, a short in a device, or too many devices connected.  It will not protect you against electrical shock and it will not necessarily protect against an electrical fire.  It would depend on the cause.  For example, if the circuit wire is not the correct gauge, the wire can still heat up and cause a fire whether or not you use a circuit breaker to protect against overload and the resultant heating.

Here are a few tips for preventing an outlet fire in your home:

1.  Check all outlets and switches once a year for looseness, corrosion or signs of malfunctioning.  Any spark coming from an outlet or switch when you plug/unplug a device or operate the switch is a red flag.  Correct any issues immediately or call an electrician. 

2.  Use plastic plugs to cover any unused receptacles. This will prevent/reduce the possible introduction of dust or lint (flammable materials) and water or humidity (corrosive material) into the outlet.

3.  Always use plastic or metal junction boxes and plate covers for any connection. The boxes and covers will shield nearby flammable material such as wood or insulation from any arcing that occurs within the junction box.

4.  Consider installing AFCIs (Arc Fault Circuit Interruptors).  These are different than GFCI's and can protect against the arcing caused from a loose/broken wire.  However, they are expensive and not commonly used.

Rule #1:  Never use water on an electrical fire.  Disconnect the power to the outlet/switch at the electric panel and call 911 immediately if you notice: 

• The area around an outlet or switch is warm or hot to the touch
• Any fire or smoke coming from the outlet or switch or smoke stains around it

With a little routine care and precaution, you can save your home and your family the tragedy of an unexpected electrical fire.

Contact Scott Loper, Associate Broker, Realtor®, RE/MAX Realty Group at 215-513-1333 for help buying or selling a home in Lansdale, Harleysville, Hatfield, Souderton, Skippack, Collegeville, North Wales and the surrounding areas of Montgomery County Pennsylvania. To Search for Homes For Sale in Montgomery County Click Here.

Preventing Outlet Fires In Your Home Copyright © 2010, The Scott Loper Team, All rights reserved.