House fires are anyone's worst nightmare. Most people who've had their houses affected by fire can barely believe the amount of damage they can do. Taking extra steps to prevent them happening is on any sane person's To Do list. Here are the most common causes of house fires.

1. Cooking and hot oil. These are truly dangerous sources of serious fires. They occur mainly in kitchens, barbecues and other areas where there are a lot of additional flammable materials or electrical fittings around. It's important to have these areas clear of obvious danger points, preferably with easily accessible cutoffs for the gas or electricity.  

Very important: Kids and hot cooking materials. The most horrifying, tragic and much too common causes of fire involve children getting terribly burned while handling flammable cooking materials. The materials spill, ignite on hot surfaces like cooking elements and create major fires. The only way to avoid these situations is to make sure they never happen. Keep kids away from any cookery situation where there are clear risks. 
 
2. Matches and lighters around children. Matches, lighters and things like pilot lighters and firelighters have to be off limits for kids. They should be kept inaccessible to children at all times, and a clear, no-arguments set of rules must be enforced.

3. Cigarettes. Cigarettes burn for periods of time, and can provide enough heat to start serious fires. Smoke outside, or only in places where there are no flammable surfaces or materials around.   

4. Electric heaters near combustible objects. Electrical heaters, particularly bar radiators, can easily burn down a house all by themselves. Heaters should never be within one metre of any flammable material. They should also never be covered by anything, or left running unattended. 

5. Electrical wiring and appliances. Electrical appliances contain a lot of safeguards these days, but like house wiring, they can deteriorate and become risks. 

The basic rules are:

• Do not use any old or suspect electrical appliances. If an appliance is difficult to turn on or off, or is on when it should be off, either the switch or the wiring is deteriorating. Get these appliances unplugged and out of the house immediately. 
• Frayed cords, exposed plugs or wires are dangerous. Exposed wires are very common causes of fires. Do not use any appliance in this condition. Throw out the appliance, or get it properly repaired.
• Any sign of malfunction in an electrical appliance is dangerous. Sparks, noises or smells are the warnings. Don't even think about using the appliance, because they're also often electrocution hazards. Replace it, ASAP. 
• Never ignore any unusual behavior related to mains power. Any flicker, fuse blowout, or sudden circuit breaker effect should be investigated. A simple leaky roof can cause a house fire by getting water onto internal wiring. Be suspicious, and call an electrician immediately. It's a bit cheaper than buying a new house.

Home insurance, home and contents insurance and fire

There's one thing you can always do to avoid the effects of a house fire. Make sure you've got good comprehensive all-in-one house insurance. Get a quote, make comparisons between insurers, and see who's got the best coverage.

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