Just read a report that said 30% of electrical fires start in the kitchen

I was looking at the NFPA's website for some safety stats and that number really jumped out at me. It makes sense with all the high-draw appliances and potential for grease buildup, but I didn't think it would be that high. Do you guys do anything specific when wiring kitchens to help mitigate that risk?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavinramirez14d ago

That 30% stat is why we use arc-fault breakers for kitchen circuits now, it's a code thing. They trip on sparking wires before a full fire starts, which would help with situations like @the_nathan's toaster oven. It's not perfect, but it's a solid layer of safety.

the_nathan22d ago

My toaster oven is basically a fire starter I keep on the counter. That stat tracks.

the_harper22d agoMost Upvoted

Wait, you actually keep a fire hazard on purpose? I always thought toaster ovens were just small ovens, but that's a wild way to look at it. Mine definitely gets way hotter than it should for just warming up a bagel. I guess I never really thought about it being a safety thing until now. Yours is basically an appliance with a side of danger, lol.