Independent Restoration Services is passionate about prevention!
Fire prevention is absolutely THE most important home damage prevention due to the immediate danger to life.
Our new series, Fired Up Friday, is about Fire prevention and Restoration. Today, we will discuss the number 1 cause of house fires, and we will share a surprising and common baking ingredient that can be used to Stop the fire.
Did you know that 48% of all house fires are started when cooking dinner? Cooking oil or grease can spontaneously combust, burst into flames if temperatures climb higher than 375 degrees, and the flames can spread quickly. The damage pictured below began with a small kitchen fire.
Here are your first steps to stopping a stove top fire:
- Remove the pan from the heat source. Just slide over to a cool eye. Do not move to countertop or sink.
- Cover the pan with the lid. Metal lids are best.
- Smother any remaining flames with a large box of…(drum roll, please)… BAKING SODA!
The scientific name for Baking Soda is Sodium Bicarbonate, and when heat is applied to sodium bicarbonate it becomes sodium carbonate releasing CO2. This CO2 starves the flames of the oxygen needed to burn.
This baking soda step is only recommended if the fire is still small. Larger flames will require a dry chemical Class B fire extinguisher, and it is vital that the extinguisher be up to date and on hand at all times.
REMEMBER…never use water to put out a grease fire! We will share more on that in the future.
However, if it all gets out of control. Get out of the house! Call 911!
THEN call IRS…We will help you return to normal ASAP!
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