It's worrying to think that some fires in homes can be largely invisible until they become very serious indeed. A fire inside your wall is hopefully something you will never have to deal with. Of course, hopefully you will never have to deal with any sort of fire in your home. But what are some of the risk factors that can contribute to a fire inside your walls? And what are some of the key indicators that an invisible fire has already started?

Risk Factors

Arguably, one of the greatest risk factors for an electrical fire breaking out inside your wall is living in an older home with older wiring. Aluminium wiring was commonplace in the 1960s, but can generate heat when placed under an excessive electrical load. Aluminium wiring is also more prone to corrosion and oxidisation than standard copper wiring, which can lead to fires. If you live in an older home and are unsure about the composition of your electrical wiring, it can be prudent to arrange an inspection. A circuit breaker that frequently trips with no obvious reason (regardless of the composition of your wiring) can be another warning sign that something might be amiss with the wiring inside your walls. Smoke detectors are not always effective at registering fires inside the wall as the smoke is contained until such time as the fire breaks through the wall, by which point the fire can pose a significant risk to your home.

Key Indicator of a Fire

An unexplained burning odour is a key indicator of an electrical fire inside your walls. If you should notice this in any room in your home, you need to take immediate action.

1. Unplug any electrical appliances in the room to prevent them from becoming damaged.
2. Go to your circuit breaker and disable electricity to the room in question. This can minimise the seriousness of any fire that might have started.
3. Carefully touch the walls inside your room with the tips of your fingers. Does the wall feel excessively warm? If the wall should feel dangerously hot, call the fire department.
4. If there is no warmth and the burning odour seemingly dissipates of its own accord, this does not mean that the problem will not return. Emergency electricians are necessary in this respect, so you should arrange an immediate inspection.

A fire inside your walls can be an unsettling prospect, so it's important to recognise the risk factors and warning signs.