Last Updated on April 21, 2022 by Kravelv
Fire kills. It’s as simple as that. In fact house fires kill over 50 Australians every year, more than the massive bush fires usually kill. Most house fires start in the kitchen because this is where electrics and heat combine. The good news is that you can take steps today to prevent kitchen fires from happening, it’s easier than you think.
However, before you start preparing, it’s vital that you choose reputable fire safety equipment suppliers. This will help to ensure you’re getting high-quality products for reasonable prices and your home is properly protected.
Smoke Alarms
A smoke alarm will not protect your house from a fire starting. However, it is important to mention and you should install one on every level of your home. They will alert you when a fire has occurred and given you extra time to get you and your family out safely.
Hopefully, this will never happen, but the extra time these devices give you is invaluable.
Electrical Inspection
Electrical issues are a common cause of kitchen fires. They can be overloaded causing them to overheat, or old and deteriorating, encouraging short circuits. An annual electrical inspection will help you to be aware of any current issues or potential future issues. You can then take steps to correct the issue before it causes a fire.
Look After Your Appliances
A crumb lodged in a toaster can start a fire, so can leftover food in the oven that hasn’t been cleaned. Any time food is left it will overheat faster than the fresh items, this heat can cause the food remains to catch fire and potentially spread.
That’s why it’s essential that you clean all appliances thoroughly and regularly. You should also visually inspect the t ensure the cables are not damaged. If they are the cable or the appliance needs to be replaced.
Unplug
One of the best measures you can take is to unplug items when they are not being used. If they are unplugged they can’t be short-circuited by electrical surges or allow old wiring to overheat because of a residual current drain.
It’s easy to unplug and will quickly become a life-saving habit.
Think Carefully When Using Oil
Many kitchen fires start when the oil in your frying pan or deep-fryer gets too hot and splatters, causing a fire to start. You need to make sure that a pot or pan doesn’t have too much oil in when it’s being used. This will reduce the likelihood of a fire being started.
In fact, you should consider moving away from using oil to cook with, frying is not the healthiest option.
Never Leave It Unattended
Leaving the stove for just one minute to check on the kids is enough time for a fire to start and quickly become out of control. You should never leave the kitchen unattended, there are too many variables that can start a fire. It’s definitely better to be safe than sorry.
