Grease fires are more common than you might think and although some are small and easily extinguished with baking soda or a small home fire extinguisher, others get out of control quite quickly. It only takes a dish towel hanging on the oven door or a potholder lying next to the stove on the counter to catch fire and before you know it, your whole kitchen is up in smoke. If you have had a fire in your kitchen, which is now in need of some seemingly minor restoration, think again. It may seem minor to you, but it may need a bit of major repair that is not evident to the naked eye.
Begin By Washing Away the Soot
Before you can get a better assessment as to the level of damage sustained from that grease fire, you will need to clean the walls and all affected appliances to see if they need to be repaired or replaced. You won’t see anything through that black soot that is covering everything, so wash every surface carefully.
Also, if any appliances appear to have been damaged in any way, make sure to turn off the breaker prior to washing any cords that may have melted. In fact, when washing electric cords at any time, it is a good idea to ensure there is no electricity going to the cord. Unplug any cord you are washing and try to use only a damp rage. A good mild dish detergent, a bit of baking soda, and some bleach will work wonders to clean the soot away.
Call for a Professional Assessment
Altogether too many times homeowners think that the extent of smoke and fire damage is the surface of a wall. This is a huge mistake and can lead to an uncontrollable electric fire in the future. If the grease fire was burning hot enough to melt the paint or wallpaper behind the stove, it may have also produced enough heat to melt the insulation around any wires running to outlets behind the wall.
Call a reliable nationwide Fire Damage inspection and restoration company to run a thorough assessment as to the extent of the damage caused by that fire. They have instruments that can measure current running through wires behind walls and if there is any doubt that a wire has shorted out or may soon short out, it is essential that the wall be torn down to some extent so that the wiring can be repaired or replaced.
Take Advantage of an Opportunity
If it is deemed that your kitchen needs some major restoration and the walls need to come down, why not take advantage of this opportunity to do a little redecorating at the same time? Your homeowner’s insurance probably covers much of the cost of replacement and repair, but that money can go toward newer appliances and a total new look for your kitchen.
You may need to cover the excess above what the insurance company pays but it wouldn’t be nearly as much as if you started out on a home remodeling project for your kitchen and any other walls or rooms that were affected. No one wants their kitchen to burn but if it happens, try to look on the bright side in that you will effectively be getting a whole new look!
Learning From Past Mistakes
One thing your fire restoration company will advise you to do is set up your kitchen in such a way as to keep anything flammable away from open flames or burners. Although towels on the oven door look really cute, it can be a fire hazard so try to find a hook where flammable material won’t fall on the stove. Always keep a home fire extinguisher in a cabinet near the stove and have it inspected annually to ensure it is full and ready to use. These are all just little things you can do to prevent another mishap like you’ve just suffered through.
Also, you could take the time to analyze other areas of your home that might be susceptible to fire or damage from other causes. Check your insurance policies to ensure you have ample coverage, so that you won’t be caught in a financial bind if some other catastrophe happens in the future. Just remember to always keep the contact information for restoration services handy because just like this time, when you least expect it, you could need restoration and renovation. It always happens just like that.
HEY ! I’m Nil (Founder of OnlineDrifts.com), Digital Marketer, Affiliate Marketer and a blogger writing about blogging tips, SEO, Tech Tips etc.