Few things are as frightening as the prospect of a house fire. every year the U.S.there is an average of 358,500 home structure fires per year, resulting in an annual $8.9 billion in property damage and, more importantly, 2,620 deaths each year. It will come as no surprise to learn that cooking, which obviously involves the use of a heating element, results in nearly half of home fires; however, 10% of house fires are caused by electrical problems, which can be harder to detect and prevent. Luckily, you can reduce your chances of having an electrical fire by avoiding a few dangerous, but common, behaviors.