Many people who suffer a residential fire believe that bad luck plays a role in why the fire started. While it may be true that sometimes "stuff" happens, the fact of the matter is that some pre-planning and investigation can go a long way towards preventing fires from ever starting in the first place.

Many fires in the home are caused by the improper use of electricity. It is not uncommon to find homeowners plugging in extension cords such as power strips and then hooking additional power strips to the primary strip, powering as many as 30 devices from a single outlet. This is not how power outlets are built to operate. Overloading an outlet is no short of tempting fate.

In addition to using the outlets correctly, it is important for homeowners to use their appliances correctly. If, for example, your refrigerator is making a weird noise or your coffee pot smells like it is burning something other than the morning blend then they need to be unplugged immediately and either serviced or replaced. Computer equipment is especially susceptible to overheating due to the large number of parts that can potentially heat up during operation.

During cold winters, homeowners may find it necessary to supplement your home's heating system with space heaters. If this is the case in your home then make sure that you follow the space heater's directions to the tee. Leave plenty of space around the heater. Most experts recommend at least three feet of clearance. It goes without saying that you should never ever use gas-powered heaters inside your home.

Finally, if you have children or elderly people in your home, make sure precautions are taken to protect them. Children love to play with fire and require instruction as to its innate dangers. By taking steps ahead of time, you can effectively prevent a potential fire from ever impacting your home.