Important Gas Cooktop Safety Tips

Cooktops are one of the most important appliances in the kitchen. You rely on one to cook family meals every day and couldn’t image living without it.

When it comes to cooktops, gas cooktop models are the number one choice of most professional chefs as well as many serious and casual home cooks. This is because a gas cooktop quickly heats up and cools down; it is easier to control and responds instantly to temperature changes. Add the fact that gas is usually cheaper and greener than electricity, no wonder why so many people choose to cook with gas.

Since you probably use your gas cooktop frequently, not being cautious and avoiding proper and regular care can be really dangerous. Following are some helpful gas cooktop tips that will ensure you use your cooktop safely.

Before You Buy a Gas Cooktop

Safety precautions should be implemented from the time you purchase your gas cooktop.

• If you have kids, buy a model with child safety features. Examples of child safety features include: child locks on knobs to avoid your kids from turning them on, and cooktops that shut off automatically when there’s no flame.
• Opt for a licensed gas fitter professional to install the gas cooktop in your home. You can also opt to install a range hood to vent away steam, cooking smells and combustion by products.
• Don’t forget to register your cooktop with the manufacture. In case there are recalls due to potential danger, they will be able to contact you.

Using Your Gas Cooktop

There are numerous things you can do to prevent accidents that are cooktop-related in your kitchen, including:

• Never leave the food you’re cooking unattended.
• Keep your cooktop clean. This will avoid grease and food particles to ignite and cause a fire and also avoid your burners getting clogged with food residue.
• Make sure to use cookware that perfectly matches the size of burners.
• Switch a burner only if you have a filled pot or pan on it.
• NEVER use your cooktop burners to heat your home.
• To prevent pots and pans from being pulled or knocked over by kids, make sure to turn all handles toward the back.

What To Do If You Smell Gas

If for some reason there is a gas leak, you should be able to smell it. In such case, if your cooktop is on, turn it off, open all the kitchen windows and doors, leave the room and call a gas fitter professional.