Home insurance: the recipe for safe cooking!

Quebec winters are so cold it can make you want to hibernate until spring! But there’s nothing to warm you up like cooking some comfort food for your loved ones. The art of cooking isn’t just about chopping, slicing and stirring the best ingredients: it’s also about talking, laughing and multitasking.

Surely, a quick look at your favourite show, a load of laundry and answering a few emails while it’s all simmering should be fine… right? Be careful. Sometimes, unfortunately, our plan A (cooking in this case) takes a backseat, and that’s when disaster (and property damage) can happen. After all, cooking fires and smoking items are the biggest source of fires in Montreal.

It all boils down to prevention

Cooking can be fun, but safety in the kitchen is obviously the key to avoiding any unfortunate incidents. Ideally, you should stay close to the kitchen to keep a constant eye on the appliances in use. Of course, to be prepared for any eventuality, it’s a good idea to keep a portable fire extinguisher in one of your kitchen cupboards and learn how to use it properly.

We also recommend that you install a smoke detector on each floor of the house, and make sure they are all in working order. Every time the clocks change, clean each smoke detector, check that it’s working properly and replace the batteries. Connected models, i.e., those linked to a central monitoring station, are also available, and are a great way to save on your insurance premium!

More tips for safe cooking

• Use a timer: Starting a timer when your dish goes into the oven will remind you to keep an eye on it. You never know when you’ll have to answer the door or the phone. A voice assistant can be even more useful: in addition to setting the timer for you, it can interact with you and answer questions… but won’t take over the cooking for you!
• Choose a smart stove: Technology is making its way into our kitchens. If your old oven is about to give up the ghost, it’s time to discover connected appliances. You can remotely control the stovetop and many other settings (e.g., temperature, cook time) right from your smartphone.
• Switch to a modern cooktop Some induction cooktops now prevent food from burning thanks to temperature sensors that monitor heat. Most are compatible with your current induction pots and pans. A pan detection feature ensures that only the necessary space is heated, automatically directing heat to the pan.
• Use a high-quality deep fryer rather than a big pot of oil: Using an electric fryer with a temperature control function is safer than frying food in a pan. In a pot, oil can rapidly overheat, increasing the risk of splattering and even fire. The fryer, on the other hand, maintains a stable heat and is equipped with built-in safety devices.
• Educating apprentice chefs: Is your little one looking for independence? Congratulations! Explain to your growing children the importance of never leaving a stove unattended. Watch out for distractions to ensure safety in the kitchen. And don’t forget: the stovetop is not an extension of the countertop, and it’s not a storage space. It’s also a good idea to remind your children that metal should never go in the microwave.

Fire: how well protected are you?

Of course, it’s essential to have home insurance to protect your apartment, condo or house. Unintentional property damage caused by fire is usually covered by a basic home insurance policy, known as “specified perils”, in Quebec. However, in all cases, the property causing the damage is never covered.

One thing’s for sure, developing the right habits will help you cook safely and limit the risk of fire. On that note, we’ll leave you with these words of wisdom: the timer’s just gone off...