Firefighters warn about this death trap inside your house: recognize it?

What causes fires and how to prevent it is something we all learn from an early age. Then, as you get older, it becomes even more important when you have your own home or apartment.

As the nights become darker, we immediately turn to the fire, candles, and everything that's hot to escape the dark, cold nights.

This month the Fire Prevention Week takes place, so firefighters are using this time of year to issue a very important warning about the dangers in your home you would not think could cause a fire.

The tips below come directly from firefighters and are supposed to increase your awareness of fire safety.

1. Clothes dryer

Make it a habit to remove the fluff from the dryer after each session - otherwise an unpleasant surprise awaits you.

When the dryer is heating up and there is a lot of lint and dust accumulated on the filters and ventilation openings, it can get very hot and eventually a spark can be created which can cause a fire with devastating consequences.

In the United States, every year, 3000 dryers cause fires with 5 people dead, 100 wounded and $35 million in damages.

It's important to use the filter, remove the fluff after each session and clean the back of the dryer where the fluff accumulates.

2. Power splitter

Beware of torn and worn power strips before you connect them. Do not place a splitter under carpets or doors.

Never connect a large electrical product to a splitter but directly to a wall outlet.

Do not overload the splitter and use a splitter with overload protection.

In less than 30 seconds a fire can ignite before it gets out of control with fatal consequences. So get rid of all your broken splitters!

3. Fire extinguisher

We keep them in buildings, in the workplace, and maybe even at home. But do we know how to use a fire extinguisher? Remember the characters PDPM.

• Pull the pin. Hold the fire extinguisher with the opening towards the fire and release the locking mechanism.
• Direct the extinguisher down to the base of the fire.
• Press the knob slowly and evenly.
• Move the nozzle from side to side.

In addition, make sure that the extinguisher is accessible, working properly, and has the recommended pressure level.

4. Lamps

It sounds obvious, but did you know that lamps are a common cause of house fires?

Thin wiring is one factor that can lead to burning bulbs. Wires in a bulb that is fragile due to the heavy heat caused by a load of watts can cause the bulb to burn.

To reduce the risk of fire, do not leave lights hanging from the ceiling on during the night, and choose a bulb that matches the watt of the lamp house, and do not use more bulbs than you should use.

5. Fire alarm

Three out of five deaths from fires are the result of homes that have no smoke or fire detectors. Check the smoke detector at least once a month by pressing the button to make sure everything is working and replacing the smoke detector at the age of 10 years.

Get used to changing the batteries once a year, and make sure you have a smoke detector working on every floor of the house and in every bedroom because 50% of the fires in houses occur between 11PM to 7AM.

We are entering a season with more lamps, candles and the use of heating devices so it's important to share these tips with everyone you know so that we can prevent as many fires as possible this year.

One click is all you need, but your sharing can save many lives!