Kitchen fire in local home

12/7/2021 (Permalink)

Kitchen fire damage

Many fires start in the kitchen where we spend so much of our time. It is important to follow some simple tips to ensure your home is safe. 

• Keep appliances serviced, clean, and in good repair. Dump the crumb tray and clean out the toaster crumbs periodically from the toaster or toaster oven. Wipe out the microwave. Clean the oven. Replace any appliances that are acting up and not functioning properly. 

• Unplug electric appliances when not in use. Toaster ovens, mixers,  and coffee makers  continue draw electricity even when they’re not turned on. So if the wiring is old or faulty, or if the thermostat overheats, a fire could break out.

• Install a smoke detector near, but not in the kitchen. You don’t want the small amount of smoke or steam that cooking sometimes generates to constantly trigger the alarm — but you do want it to sense an actual kitchen fire.

• Use caution when lighting the pilot light or burner on a gas stove. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions

• Don’t use metal in the microwave. The sparks can turn into fire or can seriously damage your microwave.

• Don’t overfill pots or pans with oil or grease. The hot oil or grease, like in this figure, can splatter and cause a fire.

• Wipe up spills and don’t cook on a dirty stove. Grease buildup is flammable. A clean stove is a fire-free stove.

• Always roll up long sleeves and tie back long hair when cooking. You don’t need your beautiful flowing silk sleeves trailing in the spaghetti sauce, and you certainly don’t need to catch on fire!

• Never leave cooking food unattended. Stay in the kitchen, especially if you’re cooking in grease or if the oven is at a very high heat. Turn off the burner or oven if you need to leave the house or get caught up in a phone call.

• Keep dish towels, pot holders, and paper towels away from the stove. You might have left a burner on by accident, and built-up heat could ignite combustibles left near or on the stove or oven.

source: https://www.dummies.com/article/home-auto-hobbies/food-drink/cooking-baking/general-cooking-baking/how-to-prevent-kitchen-fires-201406

SERVPRO of Kingston, Pittston City, Wyoming County is here to help should you find yourself in need of emergency services.  Contact us today at 570-714-0900 24/7.