Busting 5 Common House Fire Myths

If you’re like many of us here at Swift Restoration, we loved the show MythBusters. The men around here loved watching the crew blow things up; the ladies liked seeing old wives tales and myths debunked.

So, we thought we would do a little myth-busting here on the blog to help Layton-area families differentiate between true fire facts, and things that are just myth. Some of the facts will likely help ease your fears, while others prove the obvious danger present when a home catches fire.

Myth #1: You have several minutes to escape a house fire.

This truly depends on the fire, the source, and the conditions. However, a small flame under the right conditions can turn into a major fire in just minutes. According to fire prevention experts, a house fire can double in size every minute. In just three minutes, it can be burning so hot that everything else in the home ignites. But again, this depends on the source of the fire, the amount of oxygen present to fuel the fire, the layout of the home, and so on.

Myth #2: The flames are the most dangerous part of the fire.

While the flames are certainly the scariest part of a fire, it is the smoke that is actually the most dangerous. A house can fill with smoke in three to five minutes, meaning it can be dark as night inside. If there is a fire, remember to stay calm and stay near the floor. Navigate along the floor, where there is less smoke, to the nearest exit. Breathing in the thick, black smoke can have serious consequences quickly.

Myth #3: A small candle won’t cause a major fire.

Any open flame can start a house fire. In fact, as the popularity of scented candles has grown, so have the number of candle-related fires – the number has tripled from a decade ago. Plain and simple, never leave candles unattended.

Myth #4: The smoke will wake you up at night.

As we talked about above, breathing in smoke from a fire can have serious consequences very quickly. That is why it is important to have working smoke detectors on every floor, outside every bedroom, to warn you of a fire. Most deadly fires occur at night; do not rely on being a light sleeper to save you if there is a fire in your home.

Myth #5: Newer homes are less likely to have a fire than old ones.

Nope, not true. While older homes may have more fires from outdated electrical sparking a fire, and newer homes may be built with more fire-resistant materials, you are still just as likely to have a fire in a new home as an old one. In fact, newer homes are built with more engineered lumber and lightweight wood, and filled with more synthetic furnishings, all of which are prime fuel for a fire whereas thicker walls and sturdier older homes may contain a fire better.

Truth: Fires are scary, and happen every day.

In 2013, there were more than 1.2 million house fires in the United States. Those fires did more than $11.5 billion dollars in property damage, and we can bet most of the victims never thought a house fire would happen to them.

Not all fires are preventable. Accidents and malfunctions happen. Just do your part to prevent fires in your home, and if something does happen, know Swift Restoration can be on site quickly to help you start putting your life back together again.