How to make gas stoves safe for the elderly?

Whenever a loved one is more forgetful or confused than usual, it’s normal to be worried.
It’s important to act quickly as soon as we see the first signs of memory loss. We should make sure that their gas appliances are safe because gas appliances are a lot more dangerous than we realize.

There are a lot of smart gadgets today that can help older people who keep forgetting to turn their kitchen appliances on.

From induction cooktops to stove alarms, stove timers, reminders, and many other things, these things can give you some peace of mind and make you feel better about your cooking. There are certain solutions when it comes to gas stoves as well.

Solutions to make gas stoves safer

Gas isolation switches

In today’s world, there are several intelligent devices that can safeguard seniors who have a habit of leaving their kitchen appliances turned off, one of which is gas isolation switches.

Gas isolation switches are very simple devices that just stop the gas flow. They are called “means of isolation.” These valves let you quickly and easily turn off gas pipes in case of an emergency or when there is work to be done on them.

These isolation switches are suitable for both gas stoves and ovens. They can be easily installed by a qualified/licensed tradesmen.

Gas stove timers

People who are older have a necessity to be safer, and the stove timer is a safety device that helps them do that. The device can be quickly installed by a skilled tradesman.

After you press the switch, the timer starts, and it turns the stove off after the set time. To make the stove work for longer, an optional key-operated on/off bypass switch can be added.
This allows the stove to be used for a longer amount of time. This product is good for people who can’t always turn off the gas.

Normally, tradesmen will be able to set a time when the timer would automatically turn off the gas supply. 20 minutes timer is normally seen in a lot of disability/elderly-friendly homes in Melbourne.

General tips for cooking safely

1. Cooking must never be left unsupervised.
2. Keep your attention. If you’re going away, turn off the gas.
3. Never let a child cook alone.
4. Keep the flame from going outside the pot.
5. Turn the pot handles away from the stove’s edge so they don’t touch.
6. Keep stoves and cooktops clean of grease and fat.
7. Hang tea towels and oven mitts away from the stove so that they don’t get in the way.
8. When you’re cooking, wear sleeves that fit well.
9. It’s important to make sure that the fan above the stove is clean and doesn’t have grease
   and fat build-up.
10. Keep a fire blanket and a fire extinguisher close by in the kitchen.
11. Make sure the smoke alarms are working.
12. Have a plan that has worked before.
13. Do not use cooking appliances to heat things up or make hot drinks.
14. When cooking with gas, make sure that the flame doesn’t go out. Gas can leak out of the gas line without anyone noticing.

It is estimated that around 45 percent of the fires in Melbourne start in the kitchen. Hence, it is very important to keep everyone, especially the vulnerable people safe from the means of these smart devices.

Contact Mobility Access Modifications if you need to install gas safety products in Melbourne. We also supply these products Australia-wide. Get in touch today.