House fires cost many thousands of dollar in damage each year, and sometimes they’re even deadly. The most common place in the home for a fire to start is in the kitchen. Most house fires are avoidable if people take proper precautions, so it’s good to know the most common causes of kitchen fires in the home. This way, you can avoid these fire hazards and hopefully prevent a house fire in West Friend.
Cluttered Counters
Whenever you’re cooking, make sure that the counters around the stove are clear of clutter, especially flammable items. This includes paper towels, food packaging, dishcloths, and pot holders along with anything else that could catch fire. This is especially important when you have a gas stove, but it’s also important with electric stoves.
Combustible Foods
Some foods can combust when they get hot enough, so you need to be aware when you’re cooking with them. Oils, sugars, alcohols, and most fats make a list, but so does flour and garlic. If oil or grease is on your cooktop or splatters onto nearby appliances that heat up (like a toaster), it could ignite if it gets hot enough. Always clean your cooktop and surfaces thoroughly before you cook. You should always have a kitchen (K) rated fire extinguisher in the kitchen in case of a cooking fire – if it’s a grease fire both water and flour will make the problem in your West Friend kitchen even worse.
Loose Clothing
Don’t cook in flowing or baggy clothing since it could catch on fire if it gets too close to the flame or burner. This includes loose bathrobes and pajamas when you’re fixing weekend brunch. Hair can also catch fire, so pull back long hair while cooking.
Unattended Cooking
Life is busier than it’s ever been in West Friend, so finding time to cook is hard. And when you do find the time, it’s never distraction free. Whether you’re running to the den to check on the kids, ducking into the basement to change the laundry, or running upstairs to grab your phone charger, there is always something to drag you away from the stove. When you’re cooking, your focus should be there on the food and the heat (or even flame) that you’re using. Foods can splatter and catch fire or pots can boil dry and become a fire hazard in an instant, especially if you’re not in the kitchen to catch it quickly.
QUESTIONS? TRUST NORTH ARUNDEL CONTRACTING
If you have even more questions about how to get rid of it, or if you want the professionals to take care of it for you, you can trust North Arundel Contracting. Reach us by telephone at 410-766-2855 or by fax at 410-553-2367 and visit us online. Shoot us an email at [email protected] and for after-hours emergencies, page us at 410-541-0328. To find out what we are up to, or for more tips and tricks, follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.