You won’t be a fan of this fire hazard hiding in plain sight.
A long-time firefighter’s wife has issued a warning about the most dangerous but dark part of the house that could spark a devastating fire and burn a house “to the ground”.
“It will surprise the hell out of you and no one will guess,” said the woman, Jess, in her viral TikTok video, which has been viewed more than 2 million times.
“Exhaust fans in your bathroom. My husband has been a firefighter for 17 years and he calls this fire a house fire. According to him, it is the most dangerous fire to start in your home.”
She went on to say that the biggest danger with the overhead fan is that “nobody thinks to clean it,” especially the inside of its vent, where the fan actually circulates.
@unhingedreviewswjess It’s certainly not the most common fire, but it is the most *dangerous* fire. Why? Because even if you are at home, it may go undetected for a long time and it can quickly get out of hand. Redo for the people who said they couldn’t hear me! Many people say they are candle fires, dryer fires, kitchen fires, or even space heaters. While I agree that any fire left unattended is a potential “house burner”, a fire in the crawl space of your home is not easily detected OR put out. When the fire department arrives, they will most likely “remove the ceiling” to put out the fire. It is very dangerous to put a body in the crawl space. The aforementioned fires can sometimes be addressed if detected quickly. Videos on how to clean and replace these vents are coming soon!! Also the number 2 burner of the house. Stay safe, friends! #fire #firefighter #firefighter #firefighter #homeimprovement #renovation #diyproject #homeproject #homerenovation #needtoknow #lifehacks
♬ original sound – Jess
“And when the fan goes out, it gets hot enough to start a fire in the dust, and the fire actually goes up into the attic space, the crawl space of the house, and the fire is allowed to develop over the ceiling and over the fire detectors,” Jess explained.
“And by the time someone realizes there’s a fire, it’s usually too late.”
The experts at American Family Insurance back up the warning, too.
“Most of the time, details about your fan’s well-being are hidden in plain sight,” the company warns, noting that cleaning should be done with a damp cloth.
“Discoloration, strange sounds and odors, the fan itself being slow to turn on, and dust accumulating – these are all clues that you’re at risk of a malfunctioning fan or possible fire.”
Both the insurance company and Jess also request that they not leave the fan running for hours.
“Consider installing a rotary timer switch that will turn the fan off automatically after a few minutes,” advises American Family.
“If you don’t have a timer, set one on your smartphone to remind you in 15 minutes to turn off the fan.”
#husband #firefighter #part #house #death #trap #waiting #happen
Image Source : nypost.com