As we enjoy the cooler months, many homeowners turn to creature comforts to keep the chill at bay.

A warm bathroom is a sanctuary on a cold morning, but it's important to be aware of the hidden dangers that come with our pursuit of cosiness.

Firefighters sounded the alarm on a household item that's become an unexpected fire hazard.

An Adelaide family recently experienced a harrowing escape from their home after their bathroom heat lamp ignited a fire around 10 pm.

Thanks to the neighbours' quick action, the family of three safely fled the area before firefighters arrived.

The family required immediate treatment for smoke inhalation.

Firefighters issued a stark warning about the use of bath salt lamps at homes. Image Credit: Pexels/Jani Kantokoski

The fire, which reportedly reached the home's three-metre-high roof, caused an estimated $150,000 in damages.

This incident is not an isolated one—firefighters started reporting a worrying increase in house fires caused by bathroom heat lamps.

These lamps are either left on for extended periods or not properly maintained.

Metropolitan Fire Service Investigator Andrew French emphasised the importance of regular checks on these appliances.

'It's an area we don't really take notice of. It accumulates dust due to lack of maintenance, and people leaving their heat lamps on can contribute to a fire starting in that area,' Mr French warned.

'I recently did an inspection of my heat lamps and my fan motor and found the heat lamps were in contact with the plastic housing, and it started to melt,' he recounted.

This close call serves as a stark reminder that even the appliances we take for granted can become dangerous if not looked after.

Mr French also warned against a common DIY mistake: painting over fans or lamps.

These could restrict airflow, significantly increasing fire hazard.

These appliances should be free from any obstructions, and any protective covers should be clear of paint and other materials.

If you own a bathroom heat lamp at home, here are some protective tips:

• Clean your bathroom heat lamps and exhaust fans regularly to prevent dust build-up.
• Check the heat lamps' positioning and ensure they are not in contact with any flammable materials.
• Consider installing a timer on your bathroom heat lamps to prevent them from being left on for longer periods.
• Seek advice from a licensed electrician if you need help with your bathroom heat lamps or exhaust fans.
• Do not leave heat lamps on unattended, and always turn them off after use.

We encourage everyone to take proactive steps to ensure home safety.

Key Takeaways

• Firefighters issued a warning about increasing house fires caused by bathroom heat lamps.
• A family in Adelaide escaped a house fire caused by a bathroom heat lamp, which caused significant damage estimated at $150,000.
• Metropolitan Fire Service Investigator Andrew French highlighted the fire hazard posed by faulty heat lamps and the importance of regular checks.
• Authorities urged proper maintenance of bathroom heat lamps to prevent restricted airflow that could lead to fires.

Have you checked your bathroom heat lamps lately? Share your experiences and fire-proof tips with us in the comments below.

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

Thought the house in articles' photo looked sus, like it belonged in Fairbanks Alaska or a more drab, bitterly cold landscape such as in the UK. Turns our this is part of the Adelaide house involved. Guess the pic was included as an example of any house fire.

 

[JimmyFlatrock]

These incendiaries were outlawed in the UK at least fifty years ago.

Another Australian danger is that this country doesn't care about electrocution. Again, THIS was outlawed in Britain decades ago. Plugs and switches inside the bathroom and close to kitchen sinks etc.

CRAZY! ELEVATE YOUR STANDARDS, PEOPLE!!!! :-O

When REAL threats exist

For me this is just a simple matter of maintenance. Like Andrew the fire guy who checked his and found an issue and dealt with it. I agree the highest action to take in a real threat situation is to eliminate it. That's risk management 101. But it's most often not applied in many situations. Rather, fixes further down the ladder a bit are often more appropriate for a lot of different situations.

I'm sure you would agree that outlawing stuff years ago might have been appropriate at the time, however we used to hang people, but we don't do that any more. Some would say mores the pity to that example.

In the decades since you mentioned this was outlawed in the UK, there have been advances in safety and technology in our country. For instance most modern tastic devices are a part of the 3 way switch system at the door of the bathroom. Light, fan and heat. Perfectly safe in respect of electrocution dangers.

I usually take a look at cleaning out the dust when the combo fan unit no longer has a sweet hum to it but sounds more like a chaff-cutter. In respect of fire, I am pleased to be reminded of that by this article and have set up a yearly calendar on my phone as an alarm that tells me it's time to check the tastic. And now thanks to Veggiepatch, I'll also include the rangehood in that check.

I don't really need my government to take away my choices in this regard. When I'm not chilling out and slack-arsing around, I usually try to operate under a continuous improvement banner for some aspects of life. Like most I suspect.

 

[Veggiepatch]

When REAL threats exist, it is POINTLESS trying to pull rank with statistics. Stick to facts. Electrons abhor statisticians and may well detour to meet amateur statisticians.

Know what I mean.....?

No.

 

[AA2]

For you @AA2.

View attachment 56311

THANKS! I have one!! I use the heat globes only for showering. Therefore, I only use the light globe at night.

 

[AA2]

THANKS! I have one!! I use the heat globes only for showering. Therefore, I only use the light globe at night.

Ps. I clean the dust out regularly.