TIL that most house fires from DIY wiring happen because people overtighten screw terminals, not leave them loose

I read a report from the NFPA that said 63% of residential electrical fires traced back to connections that were crushed or cracked from cranking down too hard, so I have been using a torque screwdriver on every outlet and switch in my 1950s bungalow remodel, and now I am wondering how many of you actually check this or just wing it like I used to.

2 comments

2 Comments

samf9511d agoMost Upvoted

I mean, "63 percent" sounds scary but how many of those fires had other stuff going on too? Old wiring, bad insulation, people using the wrong gauge wire. I've tightened outlets by hand for years and never had an issue. Feels like one of those stats that gets thrown around to sell torque screwdrivers honestly. Not saying it can't happen, but I bet most DIYers are fine if they just don't go full hulk mode on the screws.

abbyl4911d ago

NEC actually did a breakdown on that 63% stat, you know. They found that loose connections (which is what happens when you don't torque properly) were the direct cause in a huge chunk of those cases, even after accounting for old wiring and bad insulation. The thing is, "hand tight" feels different to everyone. One person's snug is another person's barely there, and that variability is exactly why torque specs exist. You might be fine for years, but then a heat wave hits or the outlet gets jostled by a plug being yanked out, and that loose connection starts arcing. I've seen it firsthand at a friend's house where a DIY outlet install was fine for 3 years then one day the faceplate was warm to the touch. It's not about going hulk mode, it's about consistency and knowing the screw is at the right pressure for the wire to stay put under load.