A housefire can cost you tens of thousands of dollars in damage, especially if you’re not prepared for it. According to The Zebra, cooking (50%), heating equipment (12.5%), and electrical problems (6.3%) are the leading causes of residential fires. Understanding why the four common fire safety myths below are inaccurate will help ensure you’re prepared if a fire occurs.

1. The Flames Are the Dangerous Part

Fire itself can cause a lot of damage, but that’s not the only dangerous part of a residential fire. Housefires — especially larger ones that spread throughout your home — produce tons of smoke. Breathing in all that smoke can be just as dangerous as the fire itself, and smoke inhalation can even lead to death in some cases. If there’s a fire in your house, make sure you get out as soon as possible and keep your distance to avoid breathing in too much smoke.

2. Fire Sprinklers Cause More Damage Than Fires

Sprinklers can cause damage to homes and businesses, but this is nothing compared to the damage an actual fire causes. Fire sprinklers are among the most important fire safety measures, and the water damage they cause is well worth keeping your house from burning down.

3. Smoke Alarms Detect Fire

As their name suggests, smoke alarms detect smoke instead of the fire itself. When your smoke alarm goes off, that means it detected smoke in the air. If there’s a fire in your house and a smoke alarm is going off, that fire has probably been burning for a while.

4. Fire Extinguishers Are All the Same

Keeping a fire extinguisher in your home can help you put fires out as soon as they start, but you have to choose the right one. Different types of fire extinguishers are designed for different types of fires, so make sure you have the right fire extinguisher and learn how to use it properly.

A fire can put your home and family at risk, so every homeowner should have smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in the house. If you need help upgrading your fire safety equipment and learning how to use it properly, contact FireTron today.