One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions for Americans is losing weight and eating healthier. In fact, weight-related goals were the most popular resolution in 2021, according to statistics reported by Statica. If the past is any indication of the future, millions of people will vow to eat healthier this upcoming January.

Whether you’re someone who makes New Year’s resolutions or not, a holiday full of gluttonous meals and treats, not to mention overspending on gifts and holiday cheer, may mean more meals will be cooked in the kitchen instead of eaten out or carried in (yes, that includes grabbing pizza in downtown Chicago).

As kitchen cooking increases, so does your risk for home fires.

Facts About Cooking Fires

Cooking is the leading cause of fires and home fire injuries, with an average of 470 fires occurring daily, according to the National Fire Protection Agency’s (NFPA) “Home Fires Involving Cooking Equipment Report & NFIRS” data.

The report shows stove-top ranges and cook-tops are the cause for 61% of reported home fires. The biggest contributing factor to home fires and casualties was unattended cooking.

Let’s look at what you can do to reduce your chance of kitchen fire.

Ways To Stay Safe When Cooking In The Kitchen

Below are some precautionary measures provided by the National Fire Protection Association that you can follow to keep your Grayslake kitchen safe while preparing a delicious home-cooked meal.

• Stay in the kitchen. With so many fires being caused by unattended cooking, your best bet is to stay put when the stove, oven, or other cooking appliance is on. Doing so will allow you to respond more quickly should a fire ignite. The faster you respond, the less clean up and damage there may be.
• Be attentive. Being in the kitchen only works well if you remain alert to what’s on the stove or in the oven. If you’re overly tired or distracted, your cooking is just as unattended as if you weren’t in the room. Avoid cooking if you’re too sleepy or have consumed alcohol or medication that prevents you from staying vigilant.
• Eliminate flammable items. Move away items from the stove-top that can easily catch on fire. That includes kitchen linens, food packaging, wooden utensils, paper towels, or oven mitts.
• Create a safety zone. Children and pets can easily get injured in the kitchen if not careful. Prevent this from happening by creating a 3-foot safety zone where little ones aren’t allowed. These zones should limit their access to the stove and oven, cooking appliances, and any space where hot pots, pans, or dishes may be.
• Stock your kitchen. Despite your best prevention, kitchen fires can happen. By acting fast with the right supplies, you can extinguish the fire quickly and with minimal or no damage.
  • Replace batteries in smoke alarms at least twice a year to help you stay alert in the kitchen.
  • Have a working fire extinguisher handy and study up so that you know how to use it in an emergency.
  • Keep a lid nearby when cooking on the stove-top. If a fire ignites, slide the lid in place, turn off the burner, and leave the lid in place until the fire is out.
  • Should an oven fire occur, turn off the heat source and close the oven door until the fire is out.

If a fire happens and you’re unsure how to respond or if the flames have become uncontainable, your best bet is to get out of the house immediately and call 911.

Your local firefighters are better equipped to respond to the fire and minimize damage.

What To Do After Experiencing A Kitchen Fire

If you’ve experienced a kitchen fire, you know the repercussions can be devastating. Furniture, cabinets, your possessions, even the walls and flooring can be left scorched. Smoke damage can leave an odor, discolor paint, and stain carpet and fabrics. The damages can be both disheartening and overwhelming.

In these instances, it’s best to partner with a fire damage restoration specialist. Restoration professionals have years of experience restoring homes after fire damage. They know when to restore instead of replace and can work faster and cheaper than regular contractors.

McMahon Services Can Help With Fire and Smoke Damage Restoration

At McMahon Services & Construction, we employ a twenty-person crew with trained experts able to manage a full range of Fire Damage Restoration Services.  We pride ourselves in our ability to handle all of an insured’s needs, from the restoration of contents through structural reconstruction, and everything in between.

We understand our customers are going through a stressful time and correspondingly, we strive to deliver the best service we possibly can. Historically, our customers have recognized this.

“Dear Mike,

Thank you for the excellent work you did for us recently. You made a very stressful time easier and accomplished it all inside a few days. Your crew were very hard-working and courteous and left our home looking better than before the accident.

We will be glad to recommend your company to friends and no doubt you will be hearing from us again in the future.

Thanks again, “

— Mary C. and Family (IL)

For more information on our restoration services, speak with our team of professionals today.

We offer FREE estimates in our Chicago, Arlington Heights, Berwyn, Des Plaines, Evanston, Mount Prospect, Grayslake, Mundelein, Libertyville, Oak Park, Palatine, Wheaton, Naperville, Waukegan, Schaumburg, Skokie, and surrounding IL service areas.