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What Causes Wiring Fires in Residences?

Many residential fires occur due to electrical wiring. These fires commonly occur in older homes built before the 1950s, due to out-of-date wiring, which cannot fully support the increased demands of newer appliances and electronics. There are also several different causes of wiring fires in newer homes. To ensure safety, routinely check all electrical wiring in a home and make any necessary improvements or repairs when needed.

  1. Loose Connections

    • Loose wire connections at the receptacle outlets and switches are a common reason for an electrical fire in a residence. Once the loosening occurs, the natural wear of the outlet components will gradually result in overheating. The overheating erodes the electrical insulation and can cause a fire.

    Incorrect Alterations

    • Another cause of a residential wiring fire is incorrect alterations or changes to the electrical system. This may occur when a non-professional is installing or altering the electrical system in a residence. Oftentimes, the work completed by a non-professional does not meet the safety code requirements of the National Electrical Code, a standard of safe electrical wiring and installation in the United States. Workers may unknowingly overextend the system or add unnecessary components, which result in a fire hazard.

    Defective Installation

    • Some electrical fires in residences occur due to defects in the original electrical system installation. This may be due to improper installation or unnecessary alterations made to components of the system prior to installation. Other causes of the installation defect are damaged electrical insulation and defective electrical connections.

    Faulty Components

    • In some instances, residential electrical fires are a direct result of faulty products. This occurs due to a faulty characteristic of an electrical component or device. Common faulty products responsible for electrical fires in residences are failing connectors in an appliance and the overheating of extension cord receptacles, plugs and receptacle outlets.

    Age and Deterioration

    • The age of an electrical system is a common cause of residential electrical fires. Oftentimes, electrical wiring is in non-climate controlled areas such as in the ceiling, wall, crawl spaces and attics. Extreme temperatures such as high heat, lightning and rain, sudden temperature changes, environmental stress and moisture, can accelerate the deterioration and aging of an electrical system component. In most cases, the common deteriorated components that contribute to the electrical fires are conductive materials and electrical insulation.

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