Concerns about stove use are usually addressed in two ways:
By reminding an older resident or someone with dementia about the dangers of stove use, or by making sure fire-extinguishing equipment is within reach. Neither of these works particularly well for older people or for those who may not be able to react quickly.
A stove guard offers a third, smarter solution: it prevents dangerous situations before they escalate. Safety no longer depends on the older person's memory or ability to respond. The hazardous situation is stopped in time, without harm to people or property.
A Safera stove guard prevents a stove fire by switching off the stove if it is left on
A stove guard, sometimes also called a cooker safety device, is an add-on installed on the stove. Its sensors detect a dangerous situation well before a stove fire starts. If necessary, the stove guard switches the stove off.
A stove guard is well suited to people with dementia because it does not require learning anything new, and it can be installed on the user's familiar existing stove.
A stove guard provides a level of safety comparable to stopping the use of the stove altogether. However, preventing stove use is a major change from the point of view of the person receiving care, a step away from independent living and towards institutional care.
A stove guard or a stove alarm?
Both a stove alarm and a stove guard sound an alarm if they detect a hazardous situation on the stove.
However, there is one important difference after the alarm: a stove guard also cuts the power to the stove, which stops the hazardous situation. A stove alarm only sounds an alarm.
A stove guard is better suited to older people and those who may not be able to react quickly because it requires no action from the user. If no one responds to the stove alarm, the stove keeps overheating. A stove guard, by contrast, prevents the fire even if the older person is not in the home or is otherwise unable to respond.
Safera stove guards meet the requirements of the European stove fire prevention standard EN 50615. The standard requires the stove power to be cut off, so a stove alarm alone does not meet the standard.
Authorities recommend stove guards for all homes
A stove guard that monitors the condition of the stove is the most comprehensive solution for improving stove safety, which is why it is widely recommended by authorities.
The latest SFS 6000 electrical installation standard recommends an EN 50615-compliant stove guard for all homes. Tukes and SPEK also recommend installing a stove guard.
The widest range of stove guards is offered by Finnish Safera Oy, an international pioneer in stove guards since 2007. Explore Safera stove guards here .
Why is a stove guard often the best solution for older people and people with dementia?
When concern about an older person's stove use increases, many people first think about buying a cooker with a timer or even removing the fuses from the stove.
However, a stove guard is often the best option both for safety and for keeping everyday life running smoothly. The table below presents the advantages of a Safera stove guard compared with other solutions.
| Cooker with timer | Induction stove | Foam extinguisher, fire blanket | Preventing stove use | Safera stove guard | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suitable for all users and does not require learning anything new. The existing stove can be used as before. | |||||
| Can send a remote alert by text message to the phone of a caregiver or relative. | |||||
| Complies with the European EN 50615 standard for the prevention of stove fires | |||||
| Also stops hazardous situations that develop quickly when the stove is left on at high power | |||||
| Can be installed on an existing stove | |||||
| Prevents stove fires when the user cannot act or is not present | 1 | 2 | |||
| Preventing a stove fire does not create a mess, and the stove can easily be used again afterwards |
1) A cooker with timer is based on a timer that does not react if the hazardous situation develops quickly.
2) An induction stove only prevents the stove from being left on when nothing is on it.
Isn't a cooker with timer more convenient than a retrofit stove guard?
A cooker with a timer is based on a timer that cuts off the power to the stove after a user-defined period.
Using a cooker with a timer requires the user to learn how to operate a new stove and its timer. It is clear that learning a new way of using the stove can be overwhelming for someone with dementia.
A cooker with a timer does not take the cooking situation into account either: the timer keeps running even if the stove is on full power, the user is elsewhere and a grease fire is only seconds away from flaring up. Once the fire starts, it no longer matters whether the power then switches off.
A Safera stove guard monitors the stove temperature throughout cooking and takes into account movement, or the lack of it, around the stove. It stops a rapidly developing hazardous situation by cutting the power to the stove before a stove fire starts.
If needed, the stove guard can also send an alert to a caregiver's phone, allowing the older person's condition to be checked.
Can an induction stove prevent a stove fire?
An induction stove represents the latest stove technology and is safer than a traditional stove in some situations. If an object that does not belong on the stove, such as a plastic container, is accidentally left on it, the object does not heat up at all because of the technology.
A pan or pot left on the stove is still just as great a risk as it is with a traditional stove. It is worth remembering that an induction stove is more powerful and faster than a traditional stove, also from the point of view of forgetfulness.
In addition, an induction stove with touch controls can be difficult for many people to use, and old pots and pans may not be compatible with an induction stove at all.
Can a foam extinguisher or a fire blanket replace a Safera stove guard?
A fire blanket and a foam extinguisher are inexpensive to buy, and ideally they should be within reach in every home. Care professionals know well that trying to use fire-extinguishing equipment in the early stages of a fire can be overwhelming for an older person or someone with dementia.
The best advice is usually to get out of the apartment as quickly as possible. Fast action can prevent personal injury, but property will still suffer damage both from the fire and from extinguishing it.
The same applies to sprinkler systems: they can extinguish an early-stage fire if the user cannot do so, but they leave behind quite a mess.
It should also be remembered that the first minutes of a fire are already life-threatening because of the smoke gases produced.
A Safera stove guard can completely prevent every third home fire because a large share of home fires start from the stove. It also provides protection when the user does not notice an early-stage fire, is not present or is unable to respond.
A Safera stove guard prevents the fire, sounds an alarm and notifies others
Safera stove guard sounds an alarm and cuts the power to the stove when necessary.
Because no fire starts, there is nothing to clean up either. The user can switch the power back on, let the caregiver know they are all right and continue cooking.
More than 300,000 people already live more safely thanks to our Finnish-made Safera stove guard
We founded Safera Oy in 2007 with one goal: that no stove fire would ever start again anywhere in the world. We still have work to do, but our stove guards already make everyday life safer for hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
Careless stove use is the leading cause of home fires . With our smart technology, stove fires can in practice be prevented completely.
Come and see a stove guard in store
Safera stove guards are on display at our retailers, who can advise you on installation and use. Find your nearest retailer here and come and take a closer look:
Ettonet Espoo
Länsituulentie 5, 02100 Espoo Kauppakeskus AINOA, 2 krs kauppakäytävä Tel. 040 511 1118 Open: Mon-Fri 10-19.00, Sat 10-16.00
Ettonet Helsinki Kaari
Kantelettarentie 1, 00420 Helsinki Kauppakeskus Kaari, 1 krs, itäpääty Tel. 044 242 1166 Open: Mon-Fri 10-19.00, Sat 10-16.00
Ettonet Helsinki Munkkivuori
Raumantie 1, 00350 Helsinki Munkkivuoren ostoskeskus, alakerta Tel. 0400 125 320 Open: Mon-Fri 10-18.00, Sat 10-15.00