Fire kills, there is no escaping the fact that it is deadly and can move surprisingly quickly through any home. It is estimated that at least 50 people die every year from house fires and many of these start in the kitchen. The other major cause is electrical issues, although electrical problems and the kitchen often go hand-in-hand.
The funny thing is that most of the time these fires are completely avoidable. All you need to do is implement the following five techniques and dramatically reduce your risk of fire.
It should be noted that specific fire safety equipment, such as installing a smoke detector will not reduce the likelihood of a fire happening. But, it will buy you valuable time to get out of your house, effectively making the difference between living and dying. For that reason, you should have at least one smoke detector on every level of your house. It is a good idea to have one near the kitchen but not in the kitchen as it can often be set off by cooking.
1. Never Leave Cooking Unattended
The most common cause of kitchen fires is when the pan is left unattended and bubbles over. Water can boil over leaving the pan dry and allowing the contents to burst into flames. Equally, the oil in the pan can catch light or splatter onto other surfaces with enough heat to ignite material.
In other words, never leave things cooking in your kitchen without you being in the room.
2. Service Appliances Regularly
Electrical faults cause short circuits and sparks. These can cause wiring and appliances to overheat or the spark can ignite a fire. It only takes a moment for a fire to start.
But, if you have your appliances and your electrical installation inspected regularly, any issues will e spotted and can be repaired, before they become a bigger problem.
3. Clean Your Cooker After Every Use
One thing that many people don’t think about is the grease and other food deposits left on or in your stove after cooking. These deposits can quickly build up and if they have any grease in them, they are flammable. It may not look like much but it can be enough to start a kitchen fie, especially if a tea towel has been left next to it.
The risk can be eliminated if you clean the stove after using it.
4. Light Gas Cookers And Stoves Carefully
If you use a gas oven or hob you need to follow the instructions when lighting it. Delaying the ignition can release a surprising amount of gas into your home which will ignite when you create the spark, potentially starting a fire or blowing your kitchen up.
5. Never Put Metal In The Microwave
Finally, you should already be aware that your microwave doesn’t like metal. It creates a spark as the radio waves hit the metal. This quickly creates a buildup of heat which can destroy your microwave and start a fire in a surprisingly short space of time.
The best approach to avoiding kitchen fires is to use a little common sense, it will make the difference between a fire starting or not.