How to Protect Your Family And Home From an Oven Fire

Fred's Appliance
December 5, 2013
Service

In 2011, cooking was involved in an estimated 156,400 home structure fires that were reported to U.S. fire departments. These fires caused 420 deaths, 5,310 injuries and $993 million in direct property damage. – National Fire Protection Association

Oven fires are frightening and can happen in any home. You can lessen the chance of a fire occurring in your oven by performing some basic maintenance procedures and paying close attention to your actions while you are using the appliance.

Oven Malfunctions That Can Cause A Kitchen Fire

Unfortunately, certain oven defects can lead to fires in your kitchen. While they are not the most common cause, being aware of the hazards associated with a few particular malfunctions can keep you safe. For starters, a gas oven obviously runs the risk of acquiring a gas leak. Pay close attention for a strong gas smell even when your oven is turned off. If you suspect a gas leak, do not use your oven, exit your home, and call the fire department immediately. Electric oven malfunctions can also be the cause of a fire. Your electric oven usually has two heating elements inside of it. One near the top of the oven for broiling and another one near the bottom of the oven. When the heating element is not functioning properly, a fire may occur. If you witness sparks or flames coming from your heating element turn the stove off. Once the danger of a fire has been subdued, you will need to call your local appliance repair company to replace the defective element.

A Clean Oven Equals A Safe Oven

When you don’t clean your oven on a regular basis you are putting your family and your house at risk. A buildup of grease and food spills is a major reason for an oven fire to ignite. While routinely cleaning the oven is the best answer to preventing this type of fire, it is also wise to check and wipe up any food splatter before every use.

Keeping An Eye On What’s Cooking

The temptation to run a quick errand or pick the kids up from school while that night’s dinner is baking in the oven is often hard to resist. Unfortunately, no matter how confident you feel about leaving the house while your oven is on, the danger of a fire breaking out is real. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) between 2006 and 2010, “unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in home cooking fires.” The bottom line is leaving your oven untended for any stretch of time is a bad idea. If you have to walk away from the appliance, turn it off and continue cooking your meal at a later time.

What You Should Do If There Is A Fire In Your Oven

Three of every five (57%) reported non-fatal home cooking fire injuries occurred when the victims tried to fight the fire themselves –NFPA

When a fire breaks out in your oven do not open the oven door. Opening the door can cause the fire to spread. Turning your oven off may extinguish a small fire, but if the fire continues to grow get yourself and your family out of the house and call 911.

If your oven is malfunctioning, or a different appliance in your home has stopped working properly, please contact us today, and we will send one of our technicians to your home to repair the problem.

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