3 Causes of Electrical Fires and How to Prevent Them

According to Electrical Safety First, there are over 20,000 electrical fires every year. You can often prevent the causes of electrical fires with simple measures.

But what are the causes of electrical fires? We’ve listed the top three causes and we’ll tell you how to prevent them.


Causes of electrical fires

Cooking appliance malfunctions

Cooking appliance malfunctions cause a lot of electrical fires, and this is often because people forget that these types of appliances need maintenance. It’s worth getting your oven, hobs and any other electric cooking appliances tested regularly to make sure that they are safe.

Faulty electrical work and equipment

The main cause of electrical fires is faulty equipment and electrical work. Improperly-installed wiring, overloaded circuits and faulty outlets and devices are some of the most common causes.

When you hire an electrician to do work for you, make sure you check that they are qualified and are reputable. This will help to prevent some of these common faults with electrical wiring and outlets.
electrician causes of electrical fires

Misused sockets and cords

Are you guilty of overloading your electrical sockets and extension cords? This is another one of the largest causes of electrical fires and you should take care to ensure that you use sockets properly.

Electrical safety first have a calculator on their website you can use to check whether you’re overloading your sockets, which could save you and your family’s lives.

How to prevent electrical fires

There are plenty of things you can do to prevent electrical fires:

Hire a reputable electrician

Always compare a few electricians before making your decision. It will be easy to tell between the tradespeople who know their stuff and those that are looking for a quick buck. Check out reviews and recommendations from past customers to see what they’re like.

Be sensible with your sockets

Only use the safe amount of appliances in each socket and don’t use lots of extension cords. Make sure you don’t leave appliances on unattended, especially mobile phones or e-cigarettes while they’re charging.

Keep flammable materials away

Keep flammable items away from electrical appliances, especially cooking ones. Electrical appliances will produce heat and materials around them can easily catch fire.

As long as you are sensible about the way you use electricity and take steps to prevent fires, you will never have any problems. And if you’ve not got a smoke detector in your home, make it your top priority to get one.

Emily Rivers

Emily Rivers is the Customer Experience Manager at Quotatis. She informs customers of the latest developments in a range of products so they can make the best choice for their homes and ensures they get the best out of our service.