Grease Fire Damage Restoration & Prevention
According to the NFPA, fire damage restoration calls after kitchen fires are mostly to clean the aftermath of cooking equipment fires. These fires may be caused by oil pans and pots left to cook for too long or cooking ranges and cooktops that may have accumulated too much grease over time. One of the first instincts you may have when this happens is to extinguish the fire by pouring water on it.
Never pour water on kitchen fires, especially if it is on cooking equipment or ranges. This is because these fires are almost always grease fires, i.e., either because the oil became too hot or the grease accumulated on ranges or tops burn up.
In this article, we will look at what happens during grease fires, what you can do to avoid it, and what the restoration process looks like.
Grease Fire Damage Restoration
What is Grease Fire?
As mentioned above, grease fires start when the oil becomes too hot or the cooking oil splashes on fire, which floats up and lights up the grease on cooktops. Note that the grease above can also get too hot if you have been cooking for too long.
When oil becomes too hot, it boils and starts letting off smoke. This is a clear sign that the oil is about to catch fire. If left unchecked, it takes smoking oil less than 30 seconds to catch fire and leap up to the cooktop, effectively lighting the grease on fire.
Grease fires can start with any type of oil, not just cooking oil. In fact, it is very common for entire car engines and generators to also catch fire if not cleaned properly. Pouring water on these fires can be particularly dangerous as it can spread the fire up, while the steam produced effectively increases the fire’s temperature.
Once lit up, you can expect the grease to start spreading almost everywhere. Fire damage restoration companies need to keep this in mind when responding to kitchen fires and, therefore, take appropriate action. This is also why fighting kitchen fires require more training than ordinary house fires.
Avoiding Grease Fire Damage
Much like any other fire, prevention is better than cure. Here are a few ways you can reduce the risk of fire when cooking.
- Never leave oil unattended, especially when there is an open flame under or near it. Different cooking oils have different smoking points. For example:
- Butter: 300-375 °F
- Olive oil 325-410°F
- Coconut oil: 385°F
- Sesame oil: 350-410°F
- Lard: 370°F
- Grapeseed oil: 390°F
- Corn oil: 410-450°F
- Sunflower oil: 440°F
- Soybean oil: 450-495°F
- If the oil starts smoking, remove it from the flame immediately. Do not add frozen food into the oil to limit splashes.
- Do not move your pan, either, else the oil itself may catch fire.
- Keep flammable items away.
- Avoid using liquids, especially water with oil. If you have accidentally added water or a frozen item into hot oil, reduce or turn off the flame below immediately
- Don’t move the pot while the oil is smoking. Yes, you have removed it from the flame, but because of the sheer temperature of the oil, there are chances that it can set wooden floors or clothes on fire.
- NEVER THROW FLOUR OR BAKING POWER on fires, especially oil fires.
- Don’t fan the fire.
If there is a grease fire in your home, the best course of action for you is to use a fire extinguisher.
Fire Damage Restoration Companies & Grease Fires
After grease fires, you will find that there is a thin, oily layer on almost every surface. This is because the smoke from oil fires also includes oil particles, which deposit themselves all around the house. After the fire has been extinguished, especially if the fire department was involved, there are chances that your property will also need water damage restoration.
When you call 911 Restoration, our IICRC certified experts first remove all the water from your premises and dry it out. Mold removal experts will then come in to evaluate your property and make sure you don’t have mold. Then comes the fire damage restoration.
We first remove all the damaged items from the premises, separating what can be restored and what has been destroyed completely. Then comes the hard part. The grease on every surface and every corner needs to be scrubbed. Detergents may also be used where the surface allows. Specialized equipment is used to remove grease from corners and other hard-to-reach areas.
If you would like to learn more about our restoration process, 911 Restoration of Akron Canton is here to help. Call our fire damage restoration experts today to learn more about different restoration processes or to book a service now!
