When they were first introduced into the market, gas stoves were popularly used by commercial kitchens. But now, they are a necessary feature in residential kitchens. The ease of cleaning, the efficiency of use, and the speed of the gas stoves have made them the top choice among homeowners who are looking to add new features to their kitchen any day.
Gas is safe to use if you install it in line with prescribed regulations. Fire and gas explosions are the most common risk associated with using gas- whether used commercially and in homes. As such, there are certain guidelines that you must follow when you’re installing a gas stove.
However, the gas stove can prove to be difficult to use especially when it’s not just one person that handles it. In a home where there is a number of kids around, controlling the safety of your stove can be ten times more difficult than normal.
Gas Safety Tips
Here are some safety tips that you should follow when operating a gas stove (or if you’re just looking to purchase one). These apply whether or not you are the only one using the stove:
- Watching The Flame
The flame of a gas stove is controlled by simply turning a knob- to change the pressure of the fire from low to medium and to high. It is most advisable that you keep the flame below the pot- don’t allow it to peek beyond the edge of the cookware: it can burn your hands.
Also, use the burner only when you’re cooking. Sometimes, you may be cooking more often than not but you must always check and recheck the stove. Be sure to never leave the flame burning unattended to or without cookware over it.
If you notice that the flame your gas burner emits is inconsistent, turn off the gas, then turn it back on to see how long it would take for it to light up again. If the delay in the flames coming up continues, it could mean that the stove is blocked and it requires cleaning.
- Clean Your Stove for Durability
Gas stoves are renowned for their durability but when there is a number of people in the home, maybe during a large family dinner or when friends come for a sleepover, you have to take care to keep that your stove as strong as it has always been. And like every other appliance in your home, your gas stove requires maintenance to keep it working for longer.
Maybe the easiest maintenance routine is for you to have a scheduled time to clean your stove every day. After cooking, wait for the stove to cool, then remove the grates and the burner and wash them in soapy water. You can remove food debris in the burner holes with a sharp object.
- Use the Correct Utensils
One of the external influences on the durability of your gas stove is using the right utensils. Here are some features that your cookware should have:
- The bottom of your appliances must be large enough to cover the flames even when it is turned to full.
- Your utensils and cookware must be of the right fit for whatever you’re cooking. This is to avoid the cookware tilting to one side than the other.
- Your cookware must be anticorrosive and non-inflammable. Do not use glass, plastic, or melamine utensils on your gas stove.
- Your appliances must be clean and dry before you place them over the stove.
- Watch Carbon Monoxide
This is one downside to using a gas stove as the equipment sometimes emits harmful carbon monoxide. It is impossible to detect carbon monoxide because of its odorless and colorless quality except if you encountered its bad side.
Some physical indications could be nausea, vomiting, headaches, and dizziness. If you feel any of these symptoms, you are likely to have been taking in harmful carbon monoxide when you cook.
The best way to monitor carbon monoxide emissions is to purchase and install a carbon monoxide detector.
- Install a Smoke Alarm
Most modern homes have smoke alarms and fire safety mechanisms installed in them. However, if your house was not recently built, you should install safety features. They may be expensive but they are worth every dime of your money. Smoke alarms are also very effective in getting warnings about fire hazards in the kitchens.
- Always Have Standby Emergency Services and Equipment
If you have installed a gas stove in your kitchen, you should keep a fire extinguisher around your home. If not, you may have to wait till the fire department comes running during an emergency.
One common thought is that water is the best way to put out a kitchen fire. But it isn’t, especially if you’re dealing with oil-fuelled fire. Knowing how to use a fire extinguisher would also come in handy.
You should also have a special drill in the home on how you can escape in the event of a fire accident.
