Common Home Renovations Which Risk Fire (And How to Prevent Them)

House fires ignite devastating, dangerous, and terrifying consequences — they can quickly start, spread, and get out of control within seconds and destroy property and life in their wake.

Even a small house fire that you can extinguish quickly can escalate to cause thousands of dollars in damages. While home insurance can help mitigate financial recovery, there are some losses that no amount money can ever recover.

The good news is that understanding common renovations which lead to fire can help you prevent the perilous fire outrage. There are a gazillion home renovations that would risk fire, but we’re going to focus only on the five most common ones and how to mitigate them.

 

1. Plumbing Renovations

No question. Plumbing complications can cause serious health issues. However, one thing that most homeowners don’t consider is that plumbing work can cause house fires. It sounds ironic that water can start a fire instead or repelling it, but it happens.

Plumbing renovation, when done incorrectly, can cause water to come in contact with electrical wiring, leading to potential fire hazards. In many home infrastructures, pipes and electrical wiring run close together, and a leak might cause water to drip onto the wire and start a fire.

Apart from water pipes, if an incompetent plumber is handling your gas pipes and leave a gas leak in your system, you’ll risk getting a massive explosion.

Other fires risks from plumbing include:

• Dangers of soldering metal gas pipes without taking maximum precautions
• Hidden leaks: If your plumber leaves a leak in your plumbing system, water can seep into the area with electric wiring to cause a spark that would spike a fire
• Frozen pipes: Using a faulty heat tape to protect your pipe from freezing might start a flame if the tape overheats

 

Hiring a qualified plumber can help you avoid nearly all fire risks from plumbing. A professional will ensure that all wiring is tucked away from potential water sources to prevent unnecessary fire hazards.

 

2. Electrical Works

During the home remodel, some electrical mistakes can result in fire. Loose or sparking connections, short circuits, old overheated wires, improperly matched circuits and lighting fixtures — there are many sloppy electrical works that an untrained eye could miss. Your best bet is to hire a qualified electrician to execute a professional electrical renovation.

However, some electrical mistakes happen unknowingly. For instance, a high-voltage tool in your home during a renovation can be a potential fire hazard. The highly energy-consuming tool might overheat outdated wires and start a fire.

Other electrical hazards during home remodelling include:

• Damaged conducting wires: Improper wire stripping that causes short or breaks in the electrical circuit. Electric shorts might cause sparks that may fly to create a hazardous situation.
• Cords and electrical circuit overload: When home appliances and high-voltage tools are plugged into a single extension code, it’ll create excessive power load on a single socket which might not be designed to handle that load. The overloaded circuit might explode, causing a serious risk of an electric fire.

 

When undertaking any electrical work, hire a qualified electrical who’ll do all wiring safely and correctly to reduce the fire risk. Ensure that all your electrical outlets are grounded and protected with ground fault circuit interrupter GFCI outlets.

 

3. Fencing Works

Renovating a fence improves your home and can add property value. However, it can also pose a fire risk if not correctly done.

For instance, fencing materials such as wood, vinyl, and metal can readily catch fire if they come in contact with a spark or a flame. During the renovation, if a worker uses the power tool for cutting and drilling wrongly, your fence will risk catching fire. The device can cause sparks that ignite nearby material and cause a fire.

You can reduce the risk of your fence catching fire during renovation by:

• Keeping flame away from a flammable fence
• Keeping combustible material, such as firewood, sawdust, or debris, away from your fence
• Opting for noncombustible material for your fences

 

4. Painting Work

Most home painting work involves oil-based paint, stains, and varnishes used to improve homes. Workers will use rags to clean brushes or wipe spills.

The wet rags can ignite on their own if not appropriately handled. The same is true for some liquids used in painting. Vanishes and oil used in oil-based paints and stains release heat as they dry. If the heat isn’t released into the air, it can build up to cause a fire.

Consequently, a pile of oily rag and vapours from flammable and combustible liquids used in a painting can ignite and cause a fire. Your best shot at reducing fire risk when doing painting renovations include:

• Getting a licensed painting professional to handle everything with extra care
• Not leaving cleaning rags in a pile
• Keeping containers of oily paint in a cool place
• Keeping open flames or smoke away from flammable or combustible liquids
• Storing painting liquids in their original containers with lids tightly sealed.

 

5. Wood Work

Saw dust is a byproduct of woodworking. Sawdust is fine wood particles, a common sight in most construction jobs. You’ll find sawdust anywhere where the workers are drilling, cutting, or sanding wood.

The problem is: sawdust is highly combustible if not correctly disposed of. A huge pile of sawdust will easily ignite. Once it lights, it burns and spreads quickly. One spark from the drill or sander is enough to light up sawdust.

Since the wood particles are so small, they get everywhere that normal dust does. If it lights, it burns everywhere.

During the renovation, ensure you regularly clean up sawdust. You can bag the dust in a plastic garbage bag and dispose of it in the trash.

 

Renovate Without Risking Fire Hazards

When a home is under construction or renovation, the risk of fire outrage increases. However, that shouldn’t limit you from giving your home a new look.

You can ensure members of your build team are professionals and take all the necessary precautions to reduce fire risks. Qualified professionals will eliminate most mistakes that could start a fire, recommend fire safety procedures, and properly dispose of waste materials.

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