We all have one- a trusty microwave. When your toddler won’t eat anything, you use it to warm up frozen mini pizzas. When you’re having a salt craving, you use it to pop popcorn. If you’re actually making a real meal, perhaps you just use it to soften a little butter for a tasty dish. Regardless, we all use the microwave often, some even more than others, and we probably wouldn’t know quite how to function without one.

But what happens when there is a microwave fire? Perhaps you’re thinking, “microwave fire..what are you talking about? Sure, if you microwave aluminum foil it will probably catch fire, but it’s little, you put it out quick and it’s fine. And everybody knows not to microwave aluminum foil anyway.”

But microwaves can actually cause major fires, dangerous fires. Unfortunately, a Boynton Beach resident recently discovered just how dangerous when a microwave fire caused her house to go up in flames. Though the damage was extensive, Joe Taylor Restoration was able to provide fire damage restoration services and salvage as much of the home and her belongings as possible.

The National Fire Protection Agency understands the risk associated with a microwave fire and offers the following safety tips to prevent burns and potential fires:

• Purchase a microwave oven that has the label of an independent testing laboratory. Make sure to complete and return the product registration card. This way the manufacturer can reach you if there is a recall on the product.
• Plug the microwave oven directly into the wall outlet — never use an extension cord.
• Make sure the microwave oven is at a safe height, within easy reach of all users.
• Always supervise children when they are using a microwave oven.
• Use only microwave-safe food containers or dishes. Never use aluminum foil or metal in a microwave oven.
• If you have a fire in the microwave, leave the door closed, turn the oven off and unplug it from the wall. If the microwave fire does not go out, get outside and call the fire department.
• Open food slowly, away from the face. Hot steam or the food itself can cause burns.
• Food heats unevenly in microwave ovens. Stir and test before eating or giving to children.
• Never heat a baby bottle in the microwave. Uneven heating can create hot pockets, leading to burns. Warm a bottle in a bowl of warm- not hot or boiling- water or by running it under the tap.

Whether you are faced with a microwave fire or a fire caused by a different source, the professionals at Joe Taylor Restoration will utilize the latest technology to assess the damage, appropriate to the kind of fire that occurred, and get to work immediately on the recovery process. When it comes to fire, smoke, and soot damage, you want the very best in restoration services. Joe Taylor Restoration  will provide you with the very best.