Growing up, my father had a tendency to exaggerate dangers, especially when it came to home and car maintenance. I grew up believing that my family was a wet towel on the ground, far away from the rotting floorboards beneath our feet. We avoid paint corrosion on every surface of the vehicle by skipping just one car wash. But honestly, when it comes to fire safety, the man is on the money and it’s something I carry with me all the time as an adult and homeowner. But creator Jess, the wife of a firefighter of 17 years who posts as @unhinedreviewswjess, seemed to have forgotten about some common dangers she recently revealed on TikTok.
Join me as I explore Jess’s list and unlock a whole new set of anxiety-provoking things to do…but for good reason!
exhaust fan
Especially the ones in your bathroom. “Don’t leave them on,” Jesse warned. “These can cause a fire that can spread into the attic space of your home.” She warned viewers not to wear them when leaving the home or sleeping.
How did this happen? This depends on any number (or combination) of factors. Faulty wiring is one culprit, but lint and other debris can also be sucked in, causing a fire especially If the motor is run for too long, the exhaust will become hot.
battery in garage
Not just loose batteries, but anything in the garage that might have batteries: children’s toys, gardening equipment. “Anything that needs charging,” Jesse explained. “Set a timer for when they’re plugged in, don’t leave them plugged in when you’re home, don’t leave them plugged in when you’re sleeping.”
Electric vehicle*
“There’s just not one,” she said, noting that electric vehicles (EVs) can cause fires comparable to any battery fire, but they burn much hotter and are “impossible to put out.”
While it’s true that fires caused by electric vehicles are hotter and harder to put out, hybrids are the most likely to cause fires, with 3,475 fires per 100,000 vehicles sold, according to a Kelley Blue Book study. The indicator showed that there were 1,530 fires in gasoline-powered vehicles and only 25 in electric vehicles. So it’s definitely worth it aware Yes, especially when you’re charging, but it’s one of those “choose your poison” situations…
cooking fire
“Kitchen fires and cooking fires are arguably the most common way to start a house fire,” says Jesse (and it’s true). Since grease fires are one of the most common fires, Jesse recommends using a fire extinguisher convenient (aka not always in the back of the closet) to put out these types of flames. (Quick reminder: If you’re cooking with oil, butter, or any other type of fat and something catches fire, don’t want Put water on it as this will spread the flames and make things worse.
Oven self-cleaning function
The danger here is that the oven will reach such high temperatures that it will break down anything that accumulates inside, which can be dangerous. Consumer Reports states that a able Self-cleaning features are used safely, but they should take precautions: turn on the range hood (if you have one) and open windows if possible, as high temperatures can cause smoke. Also make sure the stove is clean, as it can get very hot and catch fire (or at least destroy whatever’s on it), and keep children and pets away from the kitchen for three to five hours while the self-cleaning feature is running.
Candle
Maybe you think that since we’ve gone this far without mentioning them, they’re not as important as you thought. No! sorry! Candles are dangerous!
“Don’t burn them in the bedroom, don’t burn them in the bathroom,” Jesse said. “It’s too easy for them to go away and be forgotten. Only burn them in one place in your home: the kitchen.
If you want to “go the extra mile,” she says, you can place the candle on an “extra sturdy base and/or a bowl of water.” That said, we can’t find sources to confirm this is a safe idea, but: water should no Use to extinguish candles or prevent them from burning as the wax may catch fire and pouring water on it may cause a larger flame to spread.
Dryer
“If you’re teaching a teenager how to do laundry, check, check, Check Lint trap,” Jesse urged. Between the lint collector, the inside of the dryer itself, and the dryer hose, all that accumulated dry lint is the perfect tinder. “Don’t run the dryer when you’re not home,” she continued.
Plug-in air freshener
There is some debate about this particular item of fire safety, but we might caution a “better safe than sorry” approach. Some claim plug-in air fresheners from multiple companies are overheating, melting and causing fires, while others say the incidents are rooted in faulty wiring. However, given the uncertainty, as Jesse points out, “there are a few different things you can buy” to make your house smell nice. But not candles!
expired smoke detector
Fun fact: “Smoke detectors actually have an expiration date,” says Jesse. “Take them off and turn them over: they should have the manufacturer’s date on them. If you’ve had them for eight or nine years, it’s time to buy a new smoke detector.
We know: We don’t want you to worry about nine more things, either. But hopefully worrying about these nine things will save you from having to worry about having to find a new place to live because your house burned down. A silver lining, people!
