Both new and worn appliances and household equipment can cause home fires. This occurs when a defectively designed or manufactured product malfunctions, or a worn electrical product shorts or malfunctions. Heating mishaps sometimes occur with portable heating systems such as kerosene heaters.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) attempts to remove dangerous products from the market before they cause injuries. Often their recall actions come after someone, or multiple people, have sustained an injury. CPSC fire safety alerts and factsheets provide consumer information about known product defects and safety issues. Safety alerts involve products ranging from holiday decorations to extension cords.