As a homeowner, you’re likely very aware of the most common causes of house fires and how to prevent them. You probably get your chimney cleaned and combustion equipment like the furnace, gas range and water heater serviced regularly, and you take proper precautions with cooking equipment and space heaters, and use power bars and extension cords wisely. Here are some other smart steps that you can take to help reduce the risk of a house fire even further:
Get Your Roof Inspected
If water is getting into your attic through the roof, you may not realize that you’re living with a heightened risk of electrical fires in your home. The danger is due to the fact that wet electrical wiring, receptacles, junction boxes, light fixtures or HVAC system components can short out or start arcing, and the resulting sparks can cause a fire. While you’ll easily know if your roof gets seriously damaged in a storm and water starts pouring in, the best way to find slow leaks is to have dependable Des Moines roofers perform a thorough inspection periodically, and then have any issues promptly addressed so your roof stays watertight.
Have Your Attic Assessed
If your attic lacks adequate ventilation or sufficient insulation, extreme temperature swings in the space can allow condensation to form at certain times of the year. If there’s a lot of condensed moisture and it collects on electrical components like the ones mentioned above, there’s a greater danger of electrical shorts, arcing and fire. You can lower the chance of an attic fire occurring by having an experienced professional determine if you need to bolster airflow with additional vents on the soffits and peak, and whether air leaks around your attic floor perimeter need sealing and there’s a need for extra insulation between the floor joists.
Make Sure Your Dryer is Venting Properly
You likely know that highly-combustible lint can easily catch fire if your dryer overheats, so you clean out the trap after every load. To keep the danger of fire to a minimum, though, you should also make sure that the appliance is vented directly outdoors and the vent cover opens fully to let hot air escape. If it’s not opening, have a siding specialist install a new, fully-functional cover so the dryer vents properly.
Contact us at VanWeelden Company when you need advice and assistance from trustworthy roofers in Des Moines.
