Protect Your Home From Fire
To have a fire in your home must be one of the worst things to experience. You are left, not only without a roof over your head, but usually you will lose many of your possessions. The things you have in your home are not just replaceable items, but things like photos, children's art work and important documents. Putting your life back together after such an event could be described as impossible.
Sadly, there are more than 68,000 house fires in the UK every year and 400 deaths. Protecting your home and your family from fires should be a priority in all households and knowing what to do if the worst should happen could be the best preparation you could have.
- Have a plan and practise it. Make sure your children know what to do if a fire breaks out. Try it out at night time, with the lights off and make sure you can get out in the least amount of time.
- Fit smoke and carbon monoxide alarms everywhere. This means the loft, the garage, the shed and outside bedrooms – not just the kitchen. Test at least weekly and change batteries once per year.
- If you lock your doors at night, make sure the keys are accessible to everyone. Keep doorways and halls free of clutter.
- Take extra care when cooking. Never leave something cooking while you go out. Do not leave hot oil or fat unattended. Keep children out of the kitchen. Invest in a fire blanket for the kitchen. This will put out a chip pan fire – do not use water on electrical items or oil.
- Never leave a lit candle unattended and do not place it near hanging curtains.
- If you smoke, do not smoke in bed or when tired. Ensure the cigarette is stubbed out correctly and do not place in the bin until it is cold – run under water if necessary.
- Check your electrical system. If it is old it may need replacing. This is not a job to leave till another time. Do not over load plugs and unplug electrical items at night.
- Keep children away from all sources of fire including matches and lighters.
- Buy an extinguisher and learn how to use it safely. Keep it in a central and accessible place. Near the kitchen is probably best. However, do not fight a fire if you feel in danger.
- Close doors to all rooms when you go to bed. This can stop a fire from spreading throughout the house.
- If you have an internally accessed garage, make sure the access door is fire rated. This is a requirement, but may not be the case in older properties.
- Make sure your home insurance is up to date
While the thought of fire in your home is terrifying, having all of the above in place will mean that you have done everything you can to prepare. There are some things which are out of our control, but prevention is the best cure wherever possible.
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This has been something which my son and I have argued about a few times.
I have in interests of safety used electric for cooking in fact an induction hob which has:-
1) No naked flame.
2) Auto switches off when pan is removed.
3) Has a double temperature sensor to switch to lower heat then off if pan over heats.
4) Will auto switch off if left on for a set time depending on heat setting, the higher setting the shorter the time.
5) Has total flat surface so pans are unlikely to tip.
The only danger is when using the grill other than that it is near impossible to cause a fire. Even putting a £5 note under the pan while boiling water will not burn the £5 note.
However it is no good when using a wok.
He however maintains gas is better. As to why it's better other than with a wok he seems at a loss to explain. The induction hob is faster than gas, it does not heat the kitchen as much and does not produce water as a combustion by product so does not require an extractor hood to take away the moisture.
I am sure if gas was not a historic fuel it would only be allowed with an appliance using a balanced flue.
I am all ears as to why gas cooking should be allowed in the home. It is dangerous.
Even the oven is rather hit and miss with Gas Mark rather than a proper thermostat.
So come on why should we allow cooking with gas?
I have in interests of safety used electric for cooking in fact an induction hob which has:-
1) No naked flame.
2) Auto switches off when pan is removed.
3) Has a double temperature sensor to switch to lower heat then off if pan over heats.
4) Will auto switch off if left on for a set time depending on heat setting, the higher setting the shorter the time.
5) Has total flat surface so pans are unlikely to tip.
The only danger is when using the grill other than that it is near impossible to cause a fire. Even putting a £5 note under the pan while boiling water will not burn the £5 note.
However it is no good when using a wok.
He however maintains gas is better. As to why it's better other than with a wok he seems at a loss to explain. The induction hob is faster than gas, it does not heat the kitchen as much and does not produce water as a combustion by product so does not require an extractor hood to take away the moisture.
I am sure if gas was not a historic fuel it would only be allowed with an appliance using a balanced flue.
I am all ears as to why gas cooking should be allowed in the home. It is dangerous.
Even the oven is rather hit and miss with Gas Mark rather than a proper thermostat.
So come on why should we allow cooking with gas?
That's an interesting comment about the historic use of gas. Would we have ever thought piping gas into a home for a naked flame arrangement would be a 'good' move otherwise.
You're brave trying out the £5 note trick !
My other half tells me that gas ovens do a better job - something to do with them being less dry. I guess that ties in with what you were saying about producing water.
How dangerous is it though ? It would be very interesting to know what the statistics are re fires caused by gas / electric cookers. Anyone ...
You're brave trying out the £5 note trick !
My other half tells me that gas ovens do a better job - something to do with them being less dry. I guess that ties in with what you were saying about producing water.
How dangerous is it though ? It would be very interesting to know what the statistics are re fires caused by gas / electric cookers. Anyone ...
Since I am referring to induction hobs not electric hobs in general unlikely there are any records available?
I have noted there are now electric ovens designed to use steam. So the moisture control is now more controllable with electric against gas.
However in both cases the ovens and hobs are not cheap. Buying a gas hob is a lot cheaper than buying an induction hob.
As always it seems safely costs and one has to balance safety to cost.
I have only used gas in a caravan. My son did have it on his narrow boat but was replaced with solid fuel. They say you should have vents below the gas appliance for safety however I can see a drawback with doing that on a boat!
I have noted there are now electric ovens designed to use steam. So the moisture control is now more controllable with electric against gas.
However in both cases the ovens and hobs are not cheap. Buying a gas hob is a lot cheaper than buying an induction hob.
As always it seems safely costs and one has to balance safety to cost.
I have only used gas in a caravan. My son did have it on his narrow boat but was replaced with solid fuel. They say you should have vents below the gas appliance for safety however I can see a drawback with doing that on a boat!
