They don’t build homes and furniture like they used to. Now, they burn faster. New technologies and product advancements are making us more efficient and more productive. But there is a cost, and that cost is risk. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), while the number of home fires that occur each year has fallen by nearly 50 percent since 1977, the total amount of resulting property damage (in dollars) is increasing.
Homes today burn an estimated eight times faster than in past decades. In fact, flashover, the point at which intense heat causes an entire room to become engulfed in flames, now occurs less than five minutes after a fire starts, whereas it used to take 30 minutes. This faster progression gives homeowners, firefighters and other first responders less time to react, creating significant hazards to safety and property.
Newer homes are constructed and furnished differently than in the past. Specifically:
If you have a client who is building or renovating a home, suggest that they take these additional precautions:
National Underwriter Property & Casualty, August 2016.