It doesn’t matter if you’re a master chef or a rookie you may come across a situation where there is a cooking fire, it may be in your microwave, oven or even stove. There are many ways though to prevent such fires and save your kitchen from an unneeded renovation. Have a look below for some of best tips for kitchen safety.
Here are some of the most common ways that cooking fires start in kitchens;
- Carelessness- like leaving a stove, oven or microwave cooking while you’re out
- Grease spatter- This is where grease accumulates on stoves and in ovens, if not cleaned regularly this excess grease will get hot and may eventually ignite.
- Forgetfulness- Sometimes cooking is boring and you may get distracted which is how a lot of kitchen fires start
- Faulty appliances- Regular maintenance should ensure that all your appliances are operating at a 100%, if you need to get your appliance serviced or repaired then you can contact us at Camtec for a great quality service guarantee!
First off here are a few tips on how to reduce your chances of causing an accidental fire:
- Stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires.
- Wear short or close-fitting sleeves when you cook. Loose-fitting clothing can catch fire.
- Keep an eye on children in the kitchen. When they’re old enough to cook, teach them how to do it safely.
- Keep your cooking areas clean. Food and grease build-up can increase the risk of fire.
- Keep curtains, towels, pot holders and other fabrics away from hot surfaces.
- Store solvents and flammable cleaners away from heat sources. Never keep gasoline in the house.
- Turn pan handles inward to prevent food spills that can result in serious burns.
Unfortunately, a fire may still occur even if you take all the preventative measures in the world, so if a fire does actually start out then follow our tips below.
- If a grease fire breaks out, put a lid on the pot to smother the flames, then turn off the heat and leave the lid in place while the pan cools.
- Use baking soda to extinguish cooking fires.
- If a fire starts inside the oven or broiler, keep the door closed and turn off the heat to smother the fire.
- Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and know how to use it. Contact your local fire department for training.
- Keep a working smoke detector in your home and test it every month.
- Call your nearest fire department!
Kitchen fires can be extremely dangerous so we hope these helpful tips come in handy if you ever need them. Should a fire get out of control we always recommend you get out of the house and call your nearest fire department for help. If you’re worried about your appliances or whether your kitchen is up to code and safe then you can give us a call at Camtec, we are more than happy to help you out!