One of the scariest and most panicking experiences people might face is dealing with a home cooking or kitchen fire. Most people cook daily, but it only takes seconds to set something on fire. The National Fire Protection Association says nearly 50 percent of reported house fires are because of cooking. Holidays are the peak season for kitchen fires, so it’s vital to know its common causes to ensure your food party with your loved ones doesn’t go up in smoke.
Now, let’s discuss what causes kitchen fires so you can prevent them in the first place.
What causes kitchen fires?
Home-cooked meals have many advantages, but it comes with a dangerous risk: cooking fires. Home cooking fires can be prevented, but you must understand their causes to know how to effectively prevent them. So let’s talk about the five notorious culprits of kitchen fires to help you be cautious in the kitchen and guarantee your household’s safety.
1. Greasy and messy kitchens
Grease flammable liquids that are not regularly and properly cleaned from kitchen and appliance surfaces accumulate over time. This buildup can ignite the next time someone uses the kitchen to cook. Fortunately, fire blankets are made to quench fires fueled by fats, grease, and cooking oils. Grease fires are a common kind of kitchen fire, so by making sure your kitchen is cleaned daily, you are minimizing your odds of igniting it.
You’re also preventing mold development by maintaining a clean kitchen, as molds grow in grease and moisture. Individuals employ restoration contractors when molds have already swarmed particular portions of their homes when they should have done something in the first place to prevent it. You may check their website to learn more about their professional services.
2. Hot cooking oil
When broiling or frying anything in oil, always pay close attention to it. 50 percent of reported kitchen fires occur due to ignited butter, cooking oil, grease, fat, and other cooking substances. Oil can spread flames rapidly and may still ignite the next time somebody cooks if there’s a residue left on the stovetops.
3. Unattended cooking
Most cases of kitchen fires are the result of distractions and inattentiveness. Taking your attention off of cooking by talking to a family member or looking at your phone can be disastrous. Most cooking involves grease, heat, and oil, making it possible for a fire to break out when you’re not attentive.
Kitchen fires can lead to considerable fire damage when not quenched quickly. This is also why people employ a fire and water damage restoration service in Union City following a kitchen fire to restore their property to its healthy state.
4. High cooking temperatures
Some people think turning their stoves up can make cooking quicker. However, setting ridiculously high temperatures when cooking with your kitchen appliances is extremely dangerous. Setting too high temperatures can quickly ignite your food. Always set the cooking temperature to what the recipe requires, and avoid improvising or setting the temperature higher, even if you’re in a rush.
Does your home have fire-damaged areas waiting to be addressed? Have it fixed by companies that offer fire damage restoration in Weehawken, NJ, immediately to prevent aggravating your house’s condition.
5. Objects too close to the heat source
For individuals with tight counter areas or small kitchens, it’s easy to unawarely or inattentively put or leave things too close to the heat source. Unfortunately, ignitable objects like drapes, wooden utensils, towels, food boxes, and pot holders can easily catch fire, so always remember to put these away from the heat source when cooking.
