An appliance repair emergency might be a leak or smoke or even a fire coming from the household appliance.
If an appliance emergency occurs in your house, unplug the appliance immediately and then call for local appliance repair in Sugar Land. If there is an electrical fire happening with one of the large or small appliances in your house, we suggest calling the local fire department even before attempting to put out the fire on your own.
An electrical fire from an appliance can be scary and very dangerous, but there are a few steps to be prepared in case of an emergency. If an appliance goes up in flames, it is very important not to panic and remain calm. Follow these easy guidelines below to keep your house safe from electrical appliance fires.
PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES
Homeowners can stop electrical fires before they start by following a couple of basic rules of appliance safety. Do not plug too many electrical devices into one outlet—the wiring can get overloaded and spark a fire, especially when there’s clutter like clothes or paper close to the outlet.
It can be easy to forget about the apparent dangers of large residential appliances because they are plugged in all the time, but they present as much chance for a fire hazard as small devices like kitchen toasters and heaters. Larger appliances like a washing machine or dishwasher shouldn’t be left running overnight or while you are not at home, and do not place a freezer or refrigerator in line of direct sunlight, in order to prevent possibly overworking the cooling systems inside.
Inspect all outlets on a regular basis for extreme heat, signs of burns, and buzzing or crackling sounds that might indicate electrical arcing. Make sure you keep at least one working smoke detector on every story of your house, and test them quarterly to keep them in working condition.
WHAT NOT TO DO
If there is an appliance repair emergency involving an electrical fire, it can be tempting to douse the flames with water, but water should never be used to douse an electrical fire.
Water can conduct electricity, and dumping water on a power source can cause a severe electrical shock. It could even make the fire even worse. Water might conduct the electricity to additional parts of the room, running the risk of igniting other flammable objects in the area.
HOW TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE
The first step you need to do is unplug the device from the power source and call your fire department. Even if you can put out the fire by yourself, it’s important to have backup if the fire does get out of control.
For minor fires, you could be able to use baking soda to smother the flames. Covering the smoking or burning area with some baking soda will sometimes prevent oxygen flow to the flames with very little chance of electrocution. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the chemical used in regulation fire extinguishers. You might be able to extinguish a smaller fire with a heavy blanket as well, but only if the flames are small enough to not catch the heavy blanket on fire too.
For big electrical appliance fires, you need a Type C fire extinguisher. You should be sure you own at least one Type C or multi-use fire extinguisher in your home. Extinguishers should also be inspected regularly to be sure they haven’t expired. If there is a operational extinguisher in the home, release the pin near the top, point the nozzle at the fire, and press the handle. If the flames get too big to put out by yourself or you are concerned the fire might block an exit, you should leave the house right away, close the door , and then wait for assistance from the local fire department.
For the smaller appliance fires, call a licensed technician once the flames are under control and they will diagnose the cause of the fire and repair the appliance and return it to working order.
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Appliance Safety
Repair or Replace Appliances
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