on’t cook up
kitchen trouble

THERE'S AN old saying that
the kitchen is the heart of the
home — it’s also the heart of
more fires than any other
room in the house.

In 1991, cooking mishaps led to
almost 9,000 fires in Cunada — an
unlucky 13% of all fires —- caus-
ing over $72 million in damage.

Despite the alarming numbers,
most kitchen fires are avoidable,
and those that aren't can be put out
quickly if you know the dos and
don'ts,

Smother a grease
or pan fire

Turn off the stove or other heat
source,.and smother the flames
with a tight pot lid or larger pan.

@ Never throw water or flour on a
grease fire — that can spread the

: flames. Try baking soda or salt

Pt

instead. ;

i Never touch or try to carry a
flaming pot or pan. The contents
may, spill, burn you, and spread the
ire.

Wt tnt Clocteic_feying.pans,.and other ,

BH) Use the right appliance. Grease
is the most common source of fi
and‘burns — use an apprcved dé
fat ‘fryer for fries, doughnuts and
other deep-fried foods.

Don’t feed the flames
"of an oven fire
Close the oven door and turn

off the heat: air will only feed the
fire,

“WM oIf there's a fire in your

microwave, unplug the appliance
and don’t open the door until the
flames are out.

‘Be aware of your,
cooking habits

, & Never leave food cooking unat-

tended on the stove.
Don't leave pans of cooking fat

or oil on the stove when you're not

using them — it’s easy to turn on
the wrong burner and ignite them
when you aren’t expecting it.

. @ Keep pot handles turned toward

' fil While cooking, avoid loose

the back of the stove; this way;
small children can't pull on the
handle and be burned or scalded.

sleeves that could catch fire.

@ Never store items above the.

stove ~~"you could be burned”

_: while reaching for them.

| MAY WE ~
* Custom built’closet ~~
+ organizers:
* With or-withiout drawers-
* Highest quality materials”
f * Installed or Do-it-Yourself
1 ® Melamine finish
4 * Mirror doors
| ° Elfa Baskets -
Be Wire Shelving ~
fe Accessories

Showroom Open Mon.-Sat. 9-5 i
CANADIAN CLOSET }

_. “A fam

Keep your cooking areas
clean and tidy
@ Food or grease are usually the
first items to ignite when a fire
starts. Clean your stove and oven
regularly.
@ Keep any combustible materi-

als —- curtains, towels, plastic or -

wood utensils, newspapers, gro-
cery bags, ete. -- away from all
uppliances,

@ Clean your range-hood filters,
vents, and grease traps. A range
hood sucks up about 200 pounds
of airborne grease a year, a highly
flanimable by-product. To be sate,
vent the hood directly outside
through a kitchen wall (not up into
the attic). ;

Check your appliances
for wear and tear

@ Examine the stove, oven, toust-
er, coffee maker, and any other
cooking device for signs of crack-
ing, fraying, or. wear on cords or
plugs. :

% Just to be safe, unplug kettles,

appliances when you're not using
them.

“W When buying any kitchen

appliance, look for the Canadian
Standards Association seal of
approval. This tells you the prod-
uct has been tested for shock and
fire hazards.

Always keep a fire
extinguisher nearby

Keep a dry chemical fire extin-
guisher easily accessible, prefer-
ably bracketed to the wall near an
exit. Don't keep the extinguisher
near the stove, because the flames
may prevent you from getting to it.
S&S Know how to use the extin-
guisher: Pull the pin; Aim low:
Squeeze the handle; and Sweep
from side to side (remember this
with the acronym PASS).

When in doubt, get out

3H if you can’t bring the fire under

control immediately, don’t take .
any chances — evacuate the home"

and call your local fire department.
-. Courtesy. the Insurance

Bureau of Canada (IBC), an orga-
-.ynization that represents insurance

companies, For more information

"on how you zcan take. charge of _

safety, call IBC at 684-3635.

Hatt,
st

44

Home buyers should beware

THE COST of the Canadian dream
has literally gone through the roof
in recent years. And whether mort-
gage rates are up or down, the pur-
chase of a home still represents the
largest investment most families
ever make.

The Canadian Association of
Home Inspectors (CAH) B.C.
chapter warns home buyers to fight
the temptation to jump quickly at
what may first appear to be a good
deal.

Caveat emptor — let the buyer
beware,

Most houses for sale today, old
and new, have defects or repair
needs, many of them serious, In
these cases, any savings achieved
through lower mortgage rates or
purchase prices can easily be
absorbed by unanticipated repair
costs after a family moves in. ‘

Defects often go unnoticed by
the average person, but can be
quickly and accurately identified

ee

* $299.99

for 3 rooms of any size

by a qualified home inspector.

The smart consumer will call
in, and accompany, a professional
home inspector for a thorough and
impartial inspection of the house
before making a final decision,

Members of CAHI recommend
that home buyers do some check-
ing of their own. This will tell
them a great deal about the condi-
tion a home is in when they first
see it — and before they start to
fall in love with it,

* Over 500 beautiful colours to choose from
«Guaranteed two coats of General Paint
Breeze Latex

PACIFIC WEST PAINTING guarantees all workmanship in writing. No
payment due until job is complete and you are 100% satisfied.

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_ 160-4122