Cooking with the family on Thanksgiving can be a fun and rewarding time filled with laughter and memorable get togethers. Amidst the activity in the kitchen, It is extremely important to gauge how well your family is practicing safety in the kitchen. Dangerous tools such as kitchen knives and scissors can pose a threat to children who are not fully aware how to handle them. Here are other appliances in the kitchen to look out for:

Ovens and Cooktops

Be sure to monitor electrical smooth and coil cooktops. Due to their build and lack of notable fire, it is easy to accidentally leave a burner on. Notify your other family members to keep away from cooktops and to not place other food dishes in case of a burner that has been recently turned off and is still warm.

Fryers

We recommend doing extensive research before attempting to fry a turkey for the first time. Over the years this method has gained popularity due to the unfortunate accidents that have occurred. The key thing to know before frying a turkey is that moisture and hot oil do not mix. Be sure to pat down the turkey well with paper towels to get rid of excess moisture and bring the temperature of the turkey close to room temperature. Submerge the turkey in the hot oil at a slow pace to prevent the hot oil from bubbling over. This method of frying should be done outdoors and kept at a distance away from family members.

Dishwashers

When the heat drying and steam cycle is on, the dishwasher emits hot steam and vapor from the top. Younger children are especially vulnerable to these areas of the kitchen. For extra safety precautions, we recommend turning off the steam and/or drying cycles on your dishwasher. If possible, run the dishwasher on a lower temperature setting to decrease the emitted heat.

Set a space outside of the kitchen for kids if necessary. This will keep them away from hazardous tools and hot foods as well as prevent any mistakes from occurring. For other electrical inquiries, give us a call at (210) 899-2430, and our dispatchers can set up an appointment with one of our electricians.

*Information was gathered from The National Fire Protection Association