Cooking fires remain the leading cause of home fires and injuries. Unattended cooking is the primary culprit, underscoring the importance of vigilance and preventative measures in the heart of your home. Protecting your home and loved ones from the devastation of a kitchen fire involves a multi-layered approach, from safe cooking practices to being prepared for the worst-case scenario. Read on to learn how to safeguard your kitchen from fire and smoke damage.
The First Line of Defense is prevention. The adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is very true in this case. The most effective way to combat a kitchen fire is to prevent it from ever starting. Most kitchen fires are preventable and are the result of unsafe cooking habits.
Start with minding your environment while cooking. Never leave cooking food unattended. If you must step away, even for a moment, turn off the stove. This sounds like overkill, but grease and oils used in cooking on the stove or in the oven can ignite in seconds. You can’t know in advance which few seconds that might be. If you are answering the phone or door or any other distraction during that short time, a fire has time to ignite and get out of control. Accidents also can take place in mere seconds so be sure to establish a three-foot safety zone around the stove and areas where hot food is prepared. This area needs to be pets and people free (especially children) except the cook. Keeping this area clear will prevent any little hands or paws touching hot burners or cookware and keeps the cook from spilling hot food due to tripping over someone else. Wear short, close-fitting, or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can easily catch fire. Move anything that can catch fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, and curtains away from your stovetop. Many people like to set oven mitts next to the stove while cooking because they will be needed in just a few minutes, but that is enough time for them to catch fire from being too close to a heat source like a burner that is still hot even if it is not currently turned on for cooking.
When frying, boiling, or grilling, keep a lid beside the pan. If the pan catches fire, you can slide the lid over it to smother the flames. If you do not have matching lids for all your pots, use a baking sheet to cover the pan. Invest in a fire blanket. This is a handy device that you throw over the item on fire to smother the flames. It needs to be stored nearby for quick access, but like everything else, keep it a safe distance from cooking surfaces. Grease is sticky and splatters while cooking so it gets everywhere! Be sure to clean up grease spills immediately, especially on or near the stove. NEVER use water on a grease fire! Water causes grease to splatter while still burning which can spread the fire. If this burning grease splatters on a person or animal, it will continue to burn the skin and hair and can cause substantial injury. Instead of water, use baking soda or salt to starve the fire of oxygen which helps extinguish it. This should not be the first choice, since you need a significant amount to be effective, and most people do not use enough to store large quantities of either. Do not use baking powder, flour, or sugar because their chemical composition makes them combustible, which will make the fire worse. For a small grease fire, smother it by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the heat. Leave the pan covered until it has cooled completely. Uncovering the pan while it is still hot can cause the grease to reignite leaving you with fire to put out again. Due to this potential for grease to reignite, do not leave grease that has already caught fire unattended for any amount of time until it has fully cooled. Alcohol is highly flammable so cook with it sparingly and carefully. It is also a good idea to not have too much alcohol in the cook so that they are paying attention to the stove and/or oven.
Keep your appliances safe for use when cooking. This means clean cooking surfaces, including the stovetop, oven, and toaster, after each use to prevent grease and crumb buildup. Make sure kitchen appliances are working properly and don’t have any frayed cords. While most kitchen fires are cooking fires, it is a good idea to remind you here that it is safest to keep small appliances like toasters and blenders unplugged when not in use. This reduces the risk of electrical fires that can occur at any time including when you are not cooking. This is a safe practice for your entire household.
Even with the best preventative measures, accidents can happen. Being prepared to quickly handle a small fire can prevent it from becoming a disaster. The most obvious preparations are fire alarms and fire extinguishers.
Every kitchen should have a fire extinguisher. A multi-purpose (ABC) extinguisher is a good option in a household kitchen, but a Class K extinguisher is specifically designed for cooking-related fires involving grease, fat, and oils. You need to check your fire extinguishers regularly to make sure they are in date. If an extinguisher is expired, you need to either get it recharged, if that is an option, or replace it. Be sure you know how to use a fire extinguisher before the fire happens. In the middle of an emergency is not the time to learn how one works. The P.A.S.S. method below is a universally recognized safety procedure for operating a fire extinguisher. While the exact individual or organization that coined this memory aid is not known, it is effective in helping you know what to do in a high stress situation. Organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have incorporated the P.A.S.S. method into their safety standards and training materials.
How to Use a Fire Extinguisher (P.A.S.S. Method):
Pull the pin: This unlocks the operating mechanism.
Aim the nozzle: Directing the extinguishing agent at the base of the fire is crucial for effectiveness.
Squeeze the lever: This discharges the extinguishing agent.
Sweep from side to side: This ensures the agent covers the entire area of the fire.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside of sleeping areas. A photoelectric smoke alarm is less likely to be triggered by normal cooking smoke. Test your smoke alarms monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year or when the smoke alarm is beeping the low battery warning. There are some models that can be networked throughout the home so that everyone is warned when one is triggered to ensure everyone has time to address the fire or to evacuate.
Consider installing newer technologies for an added layer of protection. Like every other technology, fire suppression is improving all the time. Stovetop fire suppressors automatically release a fire-suppressing powder when they detect flames on the stovetop. This is like having an automatic fire extinguisher over your stove. It is a great idea to have, but do not get rid of your fire extinguishers in favor of this device since not all fires happen on the stovetop. Another leap forward is automatic shut off devices. These devices can be installed on your stove (and maybe shop for other heat sources like ovens, microwaves, coffee makers, and warmers) to automatically turn it off after a certain period of inactivity. Many of these devices already have automatic shutoff features built into them to be sure they do not overheat and cause a fire.
If a kitchen fire does occur, your first priority is to get everyone out of the house safely. Once you are safe, call the fire department immediately. If the fire is small and you are confident you can handle it with a fire extinguisher, do so. However, never put yourself at risk. There is nothing in your home that is more important than your life and the lives of your family.
Even a small fire can produce a significant amount of smoke, which can cause extensive damage to your home and belongings. Once the fire is out and it is safe to return to your home, open windows and doors to air out the space. This may be counter-intuitive to many of you, but don’t start cleaning right away. Soot can be greasy and may smear if you try to wipe it, causing more damage. Certain cleaners and even the oil on your fingertips can cause soot to become encased on surfaces in your home. There is most definitely a wrong way to clean your home and belongings after a fire.
Call your insurance company for guidance on the next steps for an insurance claim to help you recover from fire and smoke damage. ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points are recommended professional fire restoration services for most insurance carriers. See our insurance carrier page for more information about contacting the major insurance companies that have ServiceMaster as a preferred service provider for disaster restoration services. Smoke and soot can get into hidden areas and cause long-term odor and discoloration. ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points have the specialized equipment and expertise to properly clean and deodorize your home.
By adopting safe cooking habits, equipping your kitchen with the right safety tools, and knowing how to react in an emergency, you can significantly reduce the risk of a devastating kitchen fire and protect your home and loved ones.
