Home fires are more common than you think, but many are avoidable when you’re aware of the hazards in your home. You should never ignore appliance recalls. It’s estimated that in the US, 150,000 fires each year are cause by home appliances, so do your part to reduce the risk of home fire by keeping your appliances in good working condition.
Using too many extension cords, or daisy-chaining power strips is never a good idea. Over time this can overload and short circuit your electrical system which can be a fire hazard. Believe it or not, allowing dust to build up in and around electronics, electrical sockets, and even floor heaters can be a fire hazard. You want to store batteries properly to avoid a home fire as well. Keeping loose 9-volt batteries in your kitchen junk drawer is not a good idea. When loose batteries come into contact with other metals, like screws or paper clips, the two terminals could short and generate enough heat to start a fire.