Fire safety in the home.
Stay safe at home with our essential fire safety checks. Get fire safety advice and help to avoid home insurance claims with Tesco Home Insurance.
Published: 29 August 2025
The importance of home fire safety
Cooking accidents are the most common cause of house fires in the UK, according to the Government’s guidance on Fires in the home. Electrical items and faulty household appliances are also a major cause of fires. And smoking and candles are up there too.
Fire prevention is essential. Identifying the fire risks in your home, and knowing what to do about them, can help to keep you and your property safe.
Home insurance can help to cover the cost of damage if the worst happens. But house fires can have serious consequences, and there are things you can do to reduce the risk.
Fire safety advice
Here’s our top fire prevention tips to help you stay safe and avoid potential home insurance claims.
Cook safely
- Never leave your grill, oven or hob unattended while you’re cooking food.Never leave your grill, oven or hob unattended while you’re cooking food.
- Keep flammable materials, like tea towels, away from the hob and naked flames.Keep flammable materials, like tea towels, away from the hob and naked flames.
- Clean your cooker regularly, to prevent a build-up of grease or food becoming a fire risk.Clean your cooker regularly, to prevent a build-up of grease or food becoming a fire risk.
- Don’t cook if you’re too distracted or if you’ve had a lot to drink.Don’t cook if you’re too distracted or if you’ve had a lot to drink.
Make sure fires and heaters are safe
- If you have an open fire in your home, get your chimney and flue cleaned regularly to keep them clear of soot.If you have an open fire in your home, get your chimney and flue cleaned regularly to keep them clear of soot.
- Clean heaters and check them regularly to make sure they’re working properly.Clean heaters and check them regularly to make sure they’re working properly.
- Keep portable heaters away from flammable materials. Turn them off when not in use and make sure they’ve cooled down before you move them.Keep portable heaters away from flammable materials. Turn them off when not in use and make sure they’ve cooled down before you move them.
Make sure electrical items are safe - before, during and after use
- Buy genuine electrical items and make sure they have a British or European safety mark on them. Don’t buy fake goods.Buy genuine electrical items and make sure they have a British or European safety mark on them. Don’t buy fake goods.
- Keep household appliances clean and in good working order.Keep household appliances clean and in good working order.
- Avoid overloading electrical sockets. If you need help with this, you can find electrical socket calculators online.Avoid overloading electrical sockets. If you need help with this, you can find electrical socket calculators online.
- Don’t leave phones, tablets or laptops charging overnight. And don’t leave them unattended during the day.Don’t leave phones, tablets or laptops charging overnight. And don’t leave them unattended during the day.
- Empty fluff from your tumble dryer every time you use it.Empty fluff from your tumble dryer every time you use it.
- Stay safe with hairdryers and hair straighteners. Unplug them after use and leave them to cool down on a heatproof surface, not on a carpet or bed.Stay safe with hairdryers and hair straighteners. Unplug them after use and leave them to cool down on a heatproof surface, not on a carpet or bed.
Use and store rechargeable batteries safely
- Store and charge lithium batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions.Store and charge lithium batteries according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- Avoid overcharging your devices.Avoid overcharging your devices.
- Keep rechargeable batteries away from flammable materials.Keep rechargeable batteries away from flammable materials.
Store chemicals and detergents safely
- Store chemicals and detergents in a clean, dry, safe place.Store chemicals and detergents in a clean, dry, safe place.
- Never mix chemicals - even household chemicals have the potential to be very dangerous.Never mix chemicals - even household chemicals have the potential to be very dangerous.
Stay safe around candles
- Whether inside or outside, place candles on a flat and stable, flame-resistant surface.Whether inside or outside, place candles on a flat and stable, flame-resistant surface.
- Never leave candles unattended while they’re alight.Never leave candles unattended while they’re alight.
- Make sure you put the flames out properly before you leave them.Make sure you put the flames out properly before you leave them.
Stay safe when cooking or lighting fires outdoors
- Keep BBQs, pizza ovens, fire pits and bonfires away from flammable materials.Keep BBQs, pizza ovens, fire pits and bonfires away from flammable materials.
- Never leave a BBQ, pizza oven, fire pit or bonfire unattended while it’s alight.Never leave a BBQ, pizza oven, fire pit or bonfire unattended while it’s alight.
- Make sure gas BBQs are turned off when you’re done, and that nothing’s left smouldering after use.Make sure gas BBQs are turned off when you’re done, and that nothing’s left smouldering after use.
Check your home last thing at night
- Turn off your electrical appliances before going to bed.Turn off your electrical appliances before going to bed.
- Make sure all fires and flames are put out, and nothing’s left smouldering. Including log burners, coal fires, cigarettes, incense and candles.Make sure all fires and flames are put out, and nothing’s left smouldering. Including log burners, coal fires, cigarettes, incense and candles.
- Close all the doors.Close all the doors.
Install and maintain fire alarms
A big part of fire prevention is making sure you’ve got the right alarms in place. It’s important to install smoke alarms on every floor of your house and a heat alarm in your kitchen. If you don’t have fire alarms installed, it could affect your home insurance.
If you live in Scotland, by law, you must have interlinked smoke and heat alarms in your home. You might also you need a carbon monoxide alarm, if you have a wood burner or gas boiler. See the Scottish Government’s guidance: Fire and smoke alarms: the law.
Check your smoke and heat alarms regularly and replace them if they stop working.
Check your home insurance
Make sure you have buildings and contents insurance. And always check the policy documents to see exactly what you’re covered for.
Important information
Tesco Home Insurance is arranged and administered by Tesco Insurance and is underwritten by Tesco Underwriting Ltd.
You'll find complete details of the cover, monetary limits, exclusions, excesses and terms in our policy documents.
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