Your kitchen is the hub of your house where most of the activities take place. It is the most versatile area in the house because you don’t just cook there; you eat, you chat, you work, try new recipes, and make memories with your friends and family. However, the dangers of kitchen fires cannot be ignored. All the major appliances are fixed in the kitchen including ovens, stove, refrigerator, and other equipment. A little ignorance in the safety measures and the kitchen can catch fire that can burn down the whole house.
Kitchen Is the Leading Cause to House Fires
Kitchen is said to be the main cause of almost 47% of residential fires. The fire starts from the kitchen by a burning stove, a spark in the oven, a fire due to grease, or the use of metal near the fire and in the oven. Most often, the reason for the fire is trivial, but the results are horrendous. Cooking with unsafe behaviors and leaving the stoves on when a fire catching item is placed close can end up in drastic outcomes. The most dangerous are the fires starting because of stovetops. 62 percent of all house fires and 87 percent of household fire deaths are reported by NFPA after a stovetop fire. Ovens are the next most dangerous with a record of 16 percent of house fires and 4 percent of house fire deaths.
How to Prevent It?
Following are some important prevention tips through which you can prevent kitchen fires.
Fire and Smoke Alarms
If your kitchen has a fire alarm and smoke detectors, make sure that they are in a working condition. Replace their batteries as soon as they stop so that you will be updated as soon as a fire starts. Whether you are in your house or your commercial workplace, make sure you have residential and commercial fire alarms installed for complete protection. One of the major mistake that homeowners do is to disable their fire and smoke alarms when they install security systems just to save some money. However, this is the biggest mistake they do. Never disable your fire alarms as they are your protectors from fire outbreaks.
Maintenance of Appliances
Another reason why fire breaks in the kitchen are due to lack of cleanliness and maintenance of your stoves and appliances. Clean your main vents, stovetops, cooking range, and ovens. Keep your countertops safe and free from any grease so that it cannot catch fire. Make sure your wooden spatulas, spoons, and plastic bowl away from the heat when the stove is turned on. Keep an extinguisher in your kitchen with close access.
Oven Safety
Ovens are the second most dangerous appliance that can be a reason for house fires. Careless use of the oven, putting black utensils, and metal items in the oven can spread fire within minutes. Such fires start from sudden sparking and become uncontrollable. Make sure you are careful with the appliances you use in the kitchen to prevent such a great loss.
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