There is hardly an experience more traumatic than a fire in your very own home, threatening the safety and security of your family. A fire, no matter where it starts can quickly bring an entire organization’s enterprises to a standstill, and affect the business and their customers. An uncontrollable wildfire in a home can be devastating, and if not put out soon, will wreak havoc in the community.
The National Fire Protection Association estimates that a structure fire is reported once a minute! A lot of home fires generally start in the kitchen, and they are generally grease fires. This usually happens when the cooking oil catches on fire, as it gets too hot. Do you know what to do if you ever have to deal with a grease fire?
How to deal with a grease fire in the kitchen
Grease fires take place when the oil catches fire after becoming too hot. So, when you’re heating up cooking oil in your kitchen, it is important to keep an eye on the oil. This is because the smoking point of vegetable oils is about 450°F, and most animal fats also start smoking around 375°F. The best advice would be to prevent the oil from getting too hot, so make sure that you keep an eye on the temperature of the oil.
If the oil starts getting too hot, you will start seeing wisps of smoke or smell something acrid. This is when you should remove the pot from the stove or turn down the heat. The oil won’t catch fire as soon as it starts smoking, but it is a warning sign that it is about to catch on fire.
What to do if there is a fire?
In the event that your house does catch on fire, you need to turn off the heat, but don’t touch the pot. You may get burning oil that is on fire onto yourself, which is definitely not something you want. Grab a lid and put it over the burning pot, and since fire can’t survive without oxygen it will quickly die down. You can also pour baking soda over the fire to put it out, but you will require a lot of it. The last two options to try are to spray the pot with a chemical fire extinguisher, or if you don’t want to be a hero, go outside and call 911.
Whatever you do, make sure that you don’t pour water over the burning oil, since it is going to splash and make the fire spread out. Don’t try to move the pot if it’s on fire, since you may do more damage to yourself. Don’t throw random baking products to put out the fire, as it will only escalate the problem. Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with a grease fire in the kitchen.
My whole house smells like smoke now
This is understandable, after a grease fire, since the smoke will spread all over the house, and will leave behind odor and residue, on the walls and the ceiling. In most cases you may be able to get rid of the odor and the residue by opening the windows of your house, and cleaning up the walls, but in severe cases professional assistance is necessary. Using regular white vinegar on the walls and ceilings, will generally remove any odor and residue. If you’re looking to get rid of the odor, you will need to clean or dispose items that came into contact with the cooking grease. This will mean cleaning up all the dishes and utensils in the kitchen, along with the towels and mitts.
How do I get rid of the smell?
There are lots of remedies you can try, such as using vinegar to wipe-down all the utensils, walls, and dishes in your kitchen. If everything else fails, and the odor is still lingering, then the kitchen may need a deeper cleaner, which is where you need to get in touch with the professionals.
Who do I call?
If you’re struggling to get rid of the residue and the smoke of the grease fire, then you should get in touch with the STOP Restoration. You need to get in touch within the first 24 to 48 hours, since they are known as the “golden hours” of recovery. It will need an emergency response, which will stabilize the facility, and ensure that the acidic smoke and soot damage doesn’t deteriorate or corrode the building components or its vital assets.
The toxic smoke odor that is left behind needs to be deodorized and neutralized as soon as possible, since it can seriously harm the health of the individuals in the home.
What You Should Leave to the Professionals
There are certain tasks that you shouldn’t even consider handling on your own, because the toxic gases or smoldering ash can harm you. This is best left to the professionals and fire restoration services, as they have the proper safety equipment, and can get the work down without taking any risks.
The STOP Restoration have a fast emergency response time to all fire related emergencies, and will be at the scene within minutes of the call. They offer complete fire restoration services, and will ensure that your home is back to its former glory. They strictly prohibit people from the following after a grease fire in their kitchen:
- Never try to wipe down furniture, wood trim, the walls or an absorbent surface.
- Never try to move or sit on upholstered furniture.
- Never consume any food product that was exposed to the heat of the fire, including canned items.
- Never turn on your air conditioner or the furnace.
- Keep all electrical appliances, and devices such as TVs, stereos, computers unplugged, until the fire restoration STOP Restoration deems it safe to do so.
The fire restoration experts at STOP Restoration will provide you with complete fire and smoke damage restoration in a professional manner. Call them in the event of a fire emergency!
