Fire Facts, Figures and Trends

The National Fire Protection Association reports that there are as many as 400,000 house fires every year in the United States. While losing your entire home to a fire is rare, smaller fires are a very real possibility. Here are some staggering facts:

Every 24 seconds, a fire department in the United States responds to a fire somewhere in the nation. A fire occurs in a structure at the rate of one every 63 seconds, and a home fire occurs every 88 seconds. Almost ¾ of structure fires occurred in homes and apartments.

In 2017, 3,400 civilians died in fires, of which 77% occurred in the home (a decrease of 4% compared to 2016.) In the same year, 14,670 civilian fire injuries occurred; many civilian injuries are not reported to the fire service, and the estimate for civilian injuries may be low.

As for property damage, an estimated $23 billion in property damage occurred as a result of fire in 2017. This huge increase includes a $10 billion loss in wildfires in Northern California.

The team at RestorePro in Sandusky, Ohio want you to be aware of three trends to keep your eye out for.

Three Trends to Watch

1) More natural disasters

Studies continue to show that weather was the cause of most homeowners claims in 2009-2015. Hailstorms, snowstorms and hurricanes are destroying more property and acreage than ever before.

Forest fires will cause an increasing amount of damage for several reasons: poor forest management, warmer temperatures and decreasing snowpack. However, the factor that causes the most increase is more human activity. 85% of forest fires are man made. More homes are built near or in forests. All these factors add up to an increase in fire damage

2) Homes are smarter and more expensive to repair

In the last decade, homes have gotten smarter—the average American household contains 24 electronic devices. Electronics are driving up the average fire damage insurance claim. More diverse and expensive materials used in more custom features will take more time and skill to restore.

3) Don’t do it alone

One thing that will not change in the near future: fire damage restoration is complicated work. Although you want a fast and easy DIY solution, don’t attempt any “do-it-yourself” cleaning methods until you’ve talked with a qualified technician. Any improper cleaning products or techniques can actually increase your damage. Complex chemical reactions can occur when certain cleaning products are used on the wrong materials. RestorePro technicians are knowledgeable in using the proper cleaning product for each specific surface.

For fire damage restoration in Sandusky

Scorching, smoke odor and soot residue make restoring a fire damaged structure a very complicated process. Smoke residue is acidic and will eventually corrode some surfaces and leave permanent stains.  It also can permeate cracks in the walls, ceilings, and floors plus leave an odor. RestorePro has the skill, training and equipment to restore many things to pre-fire condition and get you back into your house quickly.

RestorePro’s experienced, certified technicians use the best of professional cleaning products and state-of-the-art technology, including ozone deodorization, to restore your property and eliminate odors. Contact us for 24 hour response to your fire damage situation.