Householders fail to protect from fire damage

Almost half of all householders are still failing to take basic steps to protect the home from fire, a leading home insurer has found. Data from Halifax Home Insurance reveals that only 54% of people have installed smoke alarms in their property, and less than one in five (16%) regularly tests their alarm.

According to in-house claims data, Halifax handled over 2,000 claims for fire damage last year, costing almost £19 million in total to repair. Despite the high cost of fire damage, almost one in five respondents (17%) said they don't have any home contents insurance, leaving themselves liable to cover the cost if all their belongings went up in smoke. Halifax Home Insurance data show the average cost of a fire damage claim last year was around £8,000.

When it comes to other fire safety measures, the research reveals even more cause for concern. Although electrical faults are a major cause of house fires, only 3% of people surveyed check their electrical appliances are working properly, just 2% keep a fire extinguisher in the home, and only 2% make sure access routes are kept clear. Despite growing trends for candles and oil burners around the home, less than 10% of those surveyed ensure that naked flames are extinguished when they leave a room unoccupied.

Senior claims manager Martyn Foulds says: "With around 200 house fires happening every day in the UK, it is worrying to see that people are still not adequately protecting themselves. Fire is terrifying, dangerous and costly, so we'd urge householders to spend a little time this Fire Safety Week considering what steps they could take to help keep their families and homes safer."

To protect the home from fire Halifax Home Insurance recommends the following tips:

Consider how you and your family would escape from the home if a fire occurred and make sure this route is kept clear.

Keep internal doors closed, particularly at night, as this slows down the progression of a house fire.

Make sure you have at least one smoke alarm on each floor of your property and check the battery regularly.

Most house fires start in the kitchen. When cooking, ensure naked flames are not left unattended and if oil catches fire, smother the flames with a damp tea towel or lid, rather than pour water on it, which exacerbates the problem.

Ensure electrical wiring in the home is safe by using a qualified electrician for all work. Trying to tackle electrical work at home can be dangerous and could invalidate a home insurance claim if something went wrong as a result.

Avoid storing petrol or other flammable liquids in the home. Ideally they should be kept in a secure container in a shed or outbuilding.

Do not smoke in bed or when tired, as many house fires and injuries are caused by falling asleep while smoking.

If you have a real fire, have the chimney swept by a professional chimney sweep to prevent potentially poisonous debris building up inside the flue. Visit chimneyworks.co.uk to find your nearest chimney sweep.

For further information or to join in the debate on a wide range of home related issues, visit halifaxhomematters.co.uk.