(Oslo newspaper): – Almost half of respondents between the ages of 40 and 59 now shoot extra. There are likely to be several people at home here, and families who notice the increase in costs well. Housing, electricity and food loans are getting more expensive this fall, says Frende Forsikring fire expert Øystein Oren.
In Viken, people shoot 49 percent more because of electricity prices. It also leads to more pipe fires.
Since December 1, we have received 29 calls for pipe fires in Oslo. This is an average of one per day. It’s more than usual, but we had those kind of numbers last year too, and then electricity prices also went up, says Gaute Gaarder, communications advisor at Oslo Fire and Rescue Service (OBRE).
Read how you can avoid a pipe fire below in the article.
The number of pipe fires increased by 38 percent
Nationally, there was a 38 percent increase in pipe fires in 2021, compared to the 2016-2020 period, according to figures from the Community Safety and Emergency Preparedness Directorate.
– In December last year and January this year, there were a total of 714 chimney fires in this country. This is a significant increase from the previous one. This year, many have relied on the increased use of wood burning to heat their homes. I hope people take a lot of interest at Christmas, when a lot of people gather, says Oren at Frende Forsikring.
Here’s where people get fired over electricity prices:
- The most insidious – 53 percent
- Inside – 52 percent
- Viken – 49 percent
- Vestfold and Telemark – 49 per cent
- Nordland – 40 percent
- Moore and Romsdal – 37 percent
- Rogaland – 36 percent
- Trondelag – 35 per cent
- Westland – 34 percent
- Oslo – 21 percent
- Finnmark – 17 percent
(Source: Friends poll, conducted by Norstat)
This is how you can avoid a pipe fire
Fortunately, things usually go well. If you hear a loud howling in your pipe, or see thick black smoke and sparks flying, call the fire service at 110. After they visit you, you’ll usually be given a fire ban until a cleaner looks into the pipe, says Gaarder at the fire department.
However, there are a range of tips for reducing the risk of a chimney fire.
– The most common mistake is firing with wet wood. Then you get a lot of smoke and soot that settles in the pipe, and that’s what starts to burn. To reduce the risk of pipe fire, use dry wood and add little by little, until the flames don’t get too big. And remember, milk cartons, newspapers, and the like shouldn’t go into the stove with the firewood, says the fire service’s Gaarder.
“What you should avoid is that the tube overheats and causes a fire,” Oren says.
Paper, newspaper, and Christmas trees, for example, create a lot of soot that you could catch fire if you fired harder.
– With newer stoves, you can use less wood and reduce the heat load on the tube. You no longer have to throw everything in the furnace, as many once did, says Oren, and he explains that few pipe fires progress to the rest of the house, but it does happen.
important control
In addition, it is important that the vacuum tube be inspected regularly. If it doesn’t feel right when the sweeper calls you, Oren encourages you to arrange a new date right away, so he doesn’t forget.
If the damage has already been done and a fire has occurred in the chimney, it is important to have a working smoke detector.
– The most important thing to be warned about in a timely manner is a working smoke alarm.
You must have enough detectors so that the sound is heard well in all living rooms and bedrooms, even if the doors are closed. Fire prevention regulations require at least one detector per floor, at least one detector per 60 square meters, and no more than 12 meters between detectors in the same building.
– I also believe that all bedrooms should have smoke detectors, that all children’s rooms should have them and that it is advisable to have smoke detectors near rooms along with a washer or dryer. It’s also a good idea to have detectors in kitchens and rooms where you use candles, Oren says.
This is what you should do if you discover a pipe fire
- Call the fire department and request that the building be evacuated, if necessary.
- Do not try to put out a fire that is out of control.
- Close all doors and fireplace vents.
- Close all doors, windows, and ventilation openings in the room.
- Remove flammable objects near the barrel and ensure that the structure does not overheat up to the barrel. Use a garden hose to cool this down if needed and the firefighters haven’t arrived.
“Explorer. Unapologetic entrepreneur. Alcohol fanatic. Certified writer. Wannabe tv evangelist. Twitter fanatic. Student. Web scholar. Travel buff.”
