People feel safe inside their house, most often because they are unaware of the problems which are invisible, yet present. Ranging from pests inside the woodworks to bugs inside the beds, ant holes in the walls and skirting to rat holes in the walls and even smell of something burning, we have all tried to locate the source of such problems inside the house at least once in our lives.
The burning odour, in specific, can be a sign of the danger that is hidden inside your walls and ignoring this sign can lead to serious disaster. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to deal with hidden fire in the house.
Are Electrical Appliances Really Our Friends?
If any of your electrical equipment is damaged, it can easily overheat and cause a fire in the house Your coffee makers, kitchen chimneys, toasters, ovens, all are usually installed at the same place and within a blink of your eye a meal can turn into a hazard.
Have you ever made sure that before you leave the house all lights, the gas and all other appliances are switched off? I do. That is because once I did a huge mistake by keeping the iron on, while I left and did not pay attention, which lead to overheating accompanied by socket burning. Thanks to the neighbor that smelled the burning odor and called me immediately. I rushed back home and encountered how silly I was to do that. Another thing to notice here is that the socket got burnt and I replaced it along with the wiring of that module. This helps me to sleep safely without any misconceptions or fear. I am sure most of you would not pay attention to that.
Wiring Problem?
Electrical wiring is something we do not pay much attention to, but it is something that requires our attention the most. If you have an old home with melted conduits or open wiring or if you accidentally penetrate a live wire while you’re decorating your walls, you may have a fire hazard right in front of your eyes. In seconds, small sparks turn into raging fire, causing widespread destruction and in many cases even loss of lives.
How To Deal With Hidden Fire?
Keeping careful watch for possible dangers can help us avert disasters and thus keep ourselves as well as our loved ones safe. There are a few methods, technologies and tools to deal with hidden fire that can help us avert such untoward incidents from happening.
01. Thermal Imager:
A thermal imager, also known as a thermo graphic camera, infrared camera or thermal imaging camera is a small manual device that creates an image using infrared (IR) radiation. Imagine you smell the burning odor, but the smoke is invisible. In that case, you can use the scanner and run through the walls to detect any temperature change and identify the faulty wire. I am an architect and I always make sure that my team scans the walls before we take up any renovation project or interior project. This way we can identify the hidden threats that might cause danger to the team as well as the client later.
02. Arc Fault Circuit Breaker:
An arc-fault circuit breaker, commonly known as arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) or an arc-fault detection device (AFDD) is a circuit breaker that interrupts the circuit when it traces the electric arcs that indicate loose connections. Loose connections that develop with time can sometimes create sparks and cause house fires. There are times when you need to revamp the electrical panel. It is advisable to use the products available in the market which may help you avert any hazards. Investing on a circuit breaker is an investment worth making!
03. In Panel Tube Based Micro Environment Fire Suppression System:
Nowadays, chances of short circuit in Electrical panel has become a common issue, keeping in mind the over usage of electricity and voltage fluctuations. These kinds of sparks mostly occur inside the panels as this is where high voltage lines cease. A small fire in the machines or panels might not trigger an alarm until it is too late. In panel tube-based micro environment suppression systems detect such fires and terminate them instantly, without any human intervention.
04. Kitchen Fire Suppression Systems:
The kitchen is the most vulnerable area to fire hazards. Be it a faulty chimney, too much heat while cooking, grease, spilled food on our stoves, the wiping cloth, our kitchen have all the items that may catch fire immediately. To avoid that situation, we can provide a fire extinguisher suppression system attached to our chimneys which works similarly as the in panel tube based microenvironment fire suppression systems.
Summing Up
Fire is one of the hazards which can start as a small spark and end up engulfing huge expanse. One of the most important things is to evaluate a signal, as well as warning of a threat’s presence and act immediately. There are many ways to prevent fire but the most important one is to be alert.
Prevention is better than cure!
Therefore prior to building a house, it’s important to know which materials are best for fire safety. On this subject, Gharpedia has done extensive research and to read more on that research, click on a link here –
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Author Bio
Neha Bhasin – Neha Bhasin is the Principal architect of Pramana Design Studio, a leading design consultancy firm with a strong design instinct in projects that range from recycling land and master planning to the design of spaces, hospitality, houses, and commercial buildings, thereby engaging diverse issues, multiple constituencies and varying scales from interior design and architecture to urban design and planning. She has a degree in Bachelors in Architecture from Apeejay Institute of Technology, SAP, Greater Noida with a Certification in Housing Planning and Policies focused on Housing and Human Environments from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. Neha has a well-demonstrated history of 7 years, and besides being a prodigious reader, she has assisted many professionals in editing books from an architect’s perspective.