Summertime is ripe with tradition: watermelon, sunburns, fireworks, and fun! In the Cache Valley, summer also brings the risk of fire and fire damage to your home. In addition to the expected danger from the Fourth of July pyrotechnics, some other areas that could potentially catch fire are:
The Garage
Storage, working space, tools, and supplies can be organized in one place. However, I know the hazards of storing flammable material in hot areas: paint solvents, lighter fluid, dry cleaning agents, butane, pesticides, oil, spray paint, kerosene, propane, diesel fuel, turpentine. Most garages don’t have sufficient ventilation so temperatures can soar to triple digits. Unfortunately, this can cause pressurized cans to burst or even flammable materials to catch fire. Here are a couple of tips to avoid fire damage:
Lightning And Storm Damage
Lightning strikes the earth more than 8 million times per day, each year lightning strikes cause billions of dollars in property damage and complete devastation. The risk of being struck is low but the consequences of a lightning strike on your home are serious. Two common risks associated with lightning are house fires and power surges.
The biggest threat lightning poses to a structure is fire. Wood and other flammable materials can easily explode when exposed to the high temperature of a lightning strike. Lightning can connect to gutters, then jump to a window frame as a ‘stepping stone’ to the electrical system or water pipes, catching fire on combustible materials.
Secondly, when lightning strikes a house, the electricity often surges through a home’s wiring or plumbing system, searching for the quickest possible route to the ground. Any electronics not on a surge protector can be ruined.
Outdoor Grilling and Fire Pits
Stay safe while you grill, smoke, BBQ, and enjoy the tastes of summer. 32% of all house fires start from grilling or cooking incidents. Maintain a grilling safe zone of at least 3 feet when grills are in use. Keep your grill at least 10 feet away from the house in case the flames get out of hand. Make sure to clean grills properly to prevent grease fires.
Fire pits are another source of house fire damage. Follow guidelines similar to grilling when dealing with a fire pit or patio heater. Follow manufacturer instructions when lighting a patio heater and never leave the fire pit unattended. If it’s windy out, avoid using either.
When you contact our fire damage restoration experts for your fire damage clean-up needs, you don’t just get a highly-experienced team that specializes in high-quality water removal and cleanup services, but you are choosing a company that is fully licensed to handle all reconstruction work that may need to happen after a water disaster.
Since 2010, they have provided our neighbors in Tremonton with quality property restoration and reconstruction services. Sierra Restoration restores dreams– one home at a time with value, quality, and timeliness.
If you have a question or would like to request a free estimate, please contact us using the form below.
If this is an emergency, please call (435) 563-4007 for 24/7 service.