What things can cause a fire in an apartment in the heat

Beware of hairspray and air fresheners

The heat has returned to Moscow, and with it all the accompanying threats. This is not only about the risk of sunburn, but also about more serious issues. There have already been several reports of fires in apartments. The cause of the fires were harmless-looking things of everyday use – cans of deodorant or nail polish, lighters, electric scooters. What safety rules must be observed in hot weather, MK understood.

Aerosol cans are not in vain different from those cosmetics that are packaged in regular bottles. It is not so important what is inside – hairspray, deodorant, dry shampoo, air freshener or shaving foam. The point is different: such vials are vessels under pressure. It is precisely this pressure that is dangerous. For such a vessel, any impact, mechanical or thermal, is a potential risk.

Experts clarify: when heated above 50 degrees, such a cylinder can detonate. Of course, we are not yet talking about 50-degree heat in Moscow, but if a bottle of air freshener is on a windowsill on a sunny day, it can heat up to such values. Although sometimes 42-43 degrees can be enough – there is no point in experimenting. In general, everything is quite simple: you need to read the instructions on the package, usually everything is written in it very intelligibly.

Another non-obvious risk factor is dust, more precisely, dusty corners where electrical appliances are located. This is most often true for refrigerators, which are subject to a particularly high load on hot days. If the refrigerator suddenly gives a spark, then the dust will ignite instantly, and the whole apartment will be from it.

The same can be said about electronic devices, smartphones, tablets or laptops. For them, the dangerous time is charging time. Experts remind: firstly, they should not be used during recharging – they can catch fire or explode from overheating of the battery. Those who use laptops and tablets on the beach are at great risk – exposure to direct sunlight seriously damages equipment and also overheats the battery. Secondly, a common mistake is to charge your phone or tablet while lying on the bed. In this case, the risk of overheating increases, and ignition in the event of an emergency will occur instantly. It is best to charge your phone on a table or on a rack. In cool weather, you can charge on the windowsill, but not in direct sunlight. In addition, you should not leave the device to charge all night (although many do). This leads to overheating of the battery – and, ultimately, can greatly shorten the life of the gadget. And, of course, you need to use a charger from a reliable manufacturer.

In recent years, electric scooters, which users charge in apartments, have also entered the risk zone. This is categorically not recommended to do – it is advisable to pull the unit into the entrance or even into the street. The first risk is the same – fire. The second risk is harmful substances that are released during charging. If normal ventilation is not provided, a person will breathe them, and this is harmful.

Smokers should keep a close eye on their lighters – on hot days, you should not forget them on the balcony (where many people have an impromptu “smoking room” in their apartments). Here you need to remember the school course of chemistry and physics. The gas that is inside the lighter begins to expand from the high temperature. Plastic does not withstand – and explodes.

On hot days, do not leave champagne, mead, cider and other pressurized carbonated alcoholic drinks out of the refrigerator. At high temperatures, they can open by themselves – the cork will fly out, despite the muselet (wire holding it). However, this also applies to soda in cans.