Has anyone ever told you never, never to pour water on a grease fire?  If not, considered yourself properly advised and warned, because here’s what can happen.  Suffice it to say, the result can be devastating to your home.

Here’s the proper way to put out a grease fire in your kitchen:

1. Turn off the burner, but only if you can do so safely. If the fire has just started, this might be enough to extinguish that. Still, and as an added safety precaution, do not attempt to remove the flaming pot or pan from its burner.

2. If possible, cover the fire with a metal pan or lid. A glass lid, by contrast, can break and shatter from extreme heat.

3. Baking soda is often an effective substitute for a pot or pan lid. What you want in this instance is whichever you can grab the fastest:  a lid big enough to cover the burning pan or enough baking soda to smother the flame.  If it’s the latter, don’t spare the baking soda because it usually takes quite a bit to get the job done.

4. If you’re one of the fortunate few to have anticipated such an event and have a chemical fire extinguisher in or right nearby your kitchen, make that first option when a grease fire breaks out. And if you don’t already have one, now’s the time to get one before you have occasion for regret.

5. Call 911 from a safe distance if you think it’s too late to fight the fire or your attempts at putting it out just aren’t working.

What happens if and when a grease fire starts and quickly spreads when the flame is unattended?  One can only imagine, and even the best case scenario isn’t very appealing. That’s why Excel Electric encourages you to outfit your house with hard-wired smoke alarms in all strategic locations.  Once one alarm sounds, they all sound unlike the way battery operated smoke alarms work. Contact us today for more information on how hard-wired smoke alarms can help protect your home and family.  It’s that important.