Six Causes Of Kitchen House Fires

 

Six Causes Of Kitchen House Fires

The Kitchen is the number one source of house fires and most of the time these kitchen fires are preventable with knowing just a few things. Sometimes the cause is an appliance failure other times it was a small detail or a series of events that lead to a kitchen fire that caused an entire house fire.  In this article we will review 5 causes of kitchen house fires and how we can prevent them.

• Leaving boxes, towels or any type of flammable material on top of a stove or inside of an oven. This sounds like common sense but things happen…You’re moving and you store boxes on top or inside your oven or you get an amazon package you unpack it leaving a box on top of your stove. You run out to pick up the kids and the cat accidentally bumps on a burner.  At AfterCare Restoration we had a customer where this exact situation caused a kitchen fire.  So please never store boxes, towels or anything flammable inside your oven or on top of your stove.
•  A lack of proper cleaning of your stove or toaster or toaster oven is another source of kitchen fires.  Grease build ups in your oven can eventually lead to a fire just like crumbs building up in your toaster or toaster oven can as well.  Also we recommend unplugging your toaster or toaster ovens when they are not in use. 
• Microwave ovens are another source of kitchen house fires if not properly used. Cooking items in a microwave oven that have a high fat content can cause a fire just like when cooking on a grill, oven or stove. 
• Electrical malfunctions on older appliances are another source of kitchen fires. Although we would love to have our appliances last forever the reality is that the older they are the older the wiring and connections are as well. If they start shorting out or tripping breakers we recommend replacing them before they spark a house fire.
• Gas stoves: Unknowingly leaving the gas or ignitor on a gas or propane stove can quickly cause a kitchen fire that can quickly become an entire house fire due to the energy source of the fire. 
•  Finally leaving items cooking on a stove top or oven unattended. We’ve probably all made this mistake…whether it’s the kids crying in another room, the door bell ringing, or any other type of distraction.

Kitchen House Fire Are Preventable

• Never store flammable items on top of or inside a stove.
• Ensure all appliances are working properly
• Clean appliances on a regular basis to prevent grease and crumbs from building up and becoming a fire source.
• Ensure all gas burners are off if you are using a gas or propane stove

Call 24/7 AfterCare Restoration 215.515.1000

If a kitchen fire has caused fire or smoke damage in your home, Contact AfterCare Restoration Right Away for a free estimate. We work with ALL insurance companies.