Why pay attention to fire safety?
Home batteries are lithium-ion batteries. The Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV) writes that a strong increase in lithium-ion home batteries in Dutch homes is expected in the coming years. According to the NIPV, fire experiments in the literature show that house fires involving a home battery can develop faster and more intensely than regular house fires. The NIPV also reports that switching off the electricity in the meter cupboard does not guarantee that the home battery is de-energised.
The fire service states that little is yet known about the fire safety of plug-and-play batteries. A good location and a good connection are therefore the things you can arrange yourself. How LFP and NMC compare is covered in LFP home battery. What a home battery does in general is explained in what is a home battery.
Unsure about your circuit? See installation.
Where do you place a home battery?
Choose the spot before you buy a battery. The fire service advises a dry, well-ventilated room that is easy for the fire service to reach, for example on the ground floor, with a stable temperature.
| Point to consider | Advice |
|---|---|
| Room | On the ground floor, in a dry, well-ventilated room with a stable temperature |
| Escape route | Never in or near an escape route, such as the hallway or under the stairs. In a fire, smoke can block the route |
| Surface | A stable, non-combustible base plate. Make sure the battery cannot fall over |
| Room to cool | Space around it, away from furniture and heating and not in direct sunlight. Put nothing on top of it |
| Dry and away from knocks | Not where it can get wet or where you easily bump into it |
| Alarm | A working smoke alarm and/or CO alarm in the same room |
| Insurance | Ask your insurer whether extra conditions apply |
Can a home battery go in the garage or shed?
The NIPV analysed eight incidents from the Netherlands and abroad. Six of them took place in garages. Eight incidents is a small group; it does not say that every garage is unsafe. It is a reason to choose the spot deliberately, though.
For a shed or garage the fire service advises making sure nothing can be placed or driven against it. Also check whether the room meets the placement advice above: dry, well ventilated, a stable temperature and reachable for emergency services.
Connecting it safely
For a plug-and-play home battery the fire service advises connecting it directly to an earthed socket, without an extension lead or power strip, preferably on a dedicated circuit. Mark in the meter cupboard that a home battery is connected, with the supplier's (emergency) number next to it.
How to connect a plug-and-play battery safely, covering socket, circuit, power and registration, is explained in connecting a plug-and-play home battery safely. A battery system of 0.8 kW or more must be registered; how that works is explained in registering a home battery.
Maintenance: check twice a year
The fire service recommends preferably checking the plug, the cables and the housing twice a year for damage, wear or discolouration, for example when the clocks change. In addition:
Keep the battery and the room around it clean and free of dust.
Occasionally check in the app that the battery works properly and whether there are software updates.
See damage to the cables or the battery? Contact the supplier. If you bought the battery from Voltravo, get in touch via service.
Has the battery fallen, got wet or been damaged in another way? Then the fire service advises pulling out the plug or switching off the battery's circuit and letting the supplier or installer decide whether it is still safe. Keep in mind that, as the NIPV writes, switching off in the meter cupboard is no guarantee that the battery is de-energised.
What do you do in case of smoke or fire?
Is the battery swollen or deformed, or is smoke or a chemical smell coming from it? For batteries in general the fire service writes: call 112 immediately and leave the room. Do not try to extinguish or move the device yourself.
For a fire in a home battery the fire service advises: do not enter the room where the battery is, close the door, warn the people you live with and leave the house via your escape plan. Call 112 and report that it is a fire in a home battery. Smoke and toxic gases make such a fire extra dangerous.
The NIPV describes that in such an incident the fire service often cannot judge the battery's internal condition. As a result, the focus is on preventing escalation to the surroundings (other rooms or homes).
Prefer it placed by a professional?
Want the battery placed and connected for you? See the installation upgrade or get in touch with us. We think along with you, without pressure.
Sources
- Fire service: plug-and-play home battery (Dutch): placement (dry, ventilated, non-combustible base plate, room to cool, alarm, insurance), connection to an earthed socket without an extension lead, marking in the meter cupboard, maintenance twice a year (accessed on 2026-10-18)
- Fire service: Home battery with a plug? How to prevent fire (Dutch): no placement in or near an escape route, advice in case of fire (do not enter the room, close the door, 112), advice for a damaged battery; published 7 April 2026 (accessed on 2026-10-18)
- Fire service: Chargers, batteries and accumulators (Dutch): for a swollen or deformed battery, smoke or a chemical smell: call 112 immediately, leave the room and do not extinguish or move it yourself (accessed on 2026-10-18)
- NIPV: Growth of home batteries calls for a course of action (Dutch): strong increase expected, fires faster and more intense, switching off in the meter cupboard no guarantee of being de-energised, six of eight incidents in garages, focus on preventing escalation; published 26 March 2026 (accessed on 2026-10-18)
- RVO: Register your battery system (Dutch): registration required from 0.8 kW (accessed on 2026-10-18)
