Prevent Fires in the Kitchen

A majority of home fires start in the kitchen, which makes sense. There isn’t any other part of the home that has as many heat sources. Nobody wants to start a fire in the kitchen; they do it accidentally because they aren’t handling something correctly. The good news here is that you can prevent a lot of kitchen fires!

At RestoraCore, we remedy many homes that smell like smoke after small kitchen fires, and in today’s blog, we want to share some things you can do to prevent a kitchen fire from happening in the first place.

Safety Tips for Your Kitchen

Don’t let a fire start in your kitchen! They happen all too often, so prevent them in your own kitchen by following these tips.

• When you’re using your stovetop, use the burners on the back first. This helps prevent towels and clothing from catching fire due to contact with the burners. That being said, your first priority should be to fit the pot to the burner. The pot shouldn’t be too big or too small for the burner.
• If you have the chance, register your oven online. This will allow the manufacturer to keep you in the loop about any potential dangers that may come up with your model.
• If you are consuming alcohol, avoiding using the oven or stove. If someone you know is consuming alcohol, discourage them from using the oven or stove as well. Impeded judgment and coordination can lead to burns and worse.
• Keep baking soda or a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. This way, you will be able to act quickly to extinguish a fire should it start. If a pot catches fire, put a metal lid on it to contain the fire and starve it of oxygen.
• Don’t let your oven and stovetop get dirty. Food particles and grease can act as fire starters, so don’t let your stove or oven get full of them.
• If you have children, protect them from the stove by installing stove locking straps, stove knob stops, and stove safety guards.
• If you are boiling, grilling, broiling, or frying food, keep the stove under constant supervision. You should never walk away from these cooking processes, as they can quickly get out of control. It is also good to time these processes whenever possible so you know exactly how long they’ve been going on.
• Never store things in the oven. It is too easy to forget about them, turn the oven on, and end up with a fire. Always check to make sure your oven is empty before you turn it on.
• If you are getting a new stove, consider having a professional install the electricity or gas. You want these power sources to be connected safely.
• When you invest in a new stove, only buy a stove that has been independently tested. It will have a label declaring it, so look for the label.
• Ensure that flammable items like wooden utensils, lunch bags, oven mitts, and pot holders are kept at a safe distance from the stove.
• There should be a fire alarm near your kitchen, but not in it. You don’t want a fire alarm in the kitchen because it will go off because of steam or normal smoke generated by cooking processes.

Turn to RestoraCore

Fires are always a surprise to the people who experience them. Keeping them from happening is all about prevention, and at RestoraCore, we do whatever we can to help the people of San Diego avoid getting fire damage in the first place. If you end up having fire damage, know you aren’t alone and that we are here to help restore your home. Contact us for fire restoration in San Diego today!