A typical appliance repair emergency could be a leak or smoke or even a fire coming from the home appliance.
In the event of an appliance emergency in your home, unplug the appliance immediately and then call Spokane Valley Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Spokane Valley. If there’s an electrical fire from one of the large or small appliances in your home, we advise calling the local fire department before attempting to put out the fire yourself.
An electrical fire from an appliance is very scary and extremely dangerous, but there are a few steps to be prepared in case of an emergency. If an electrical appliance goes up in flames, it is important not to panic. Follow these easy guidelines below to keep your home safe from electrical appliance fires.
PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES
Homeowners are able to prevent electrical fires before they start by following a few basic rules of appliance safety in a home. Don’t plug too many devices into one outlet—the wiring might get overloaded and then spark a fire, especially when there is clutter like paper or clothes close to the electrical outlet.
It can be easy to forget about the dangers of larger home appliances because they stay plugged in all of the time, but they present as much chance for a fire hazard as smaller electrical appliances like kitchen toasters and space heaters. Large appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine shouldn’t be left to run overnight or any time you’re not at home, and do not place a freezer or refrigerator in direct sunlight, to prevent possibly overworking the cooling systems inside.
Examine all outlets on a regular basis for excessive heat, burns, and buzzing or crackling sounds that might indicate electrical arcing. Make sure you have at least one smoke detector on every story of your home, and test them regularly to keep them in working order.
WHAT TO NOT DO
If there is an appliance repair emergency such as an electrical fire, it can be tempting to douse the fire with water, however water shouldn’t be used to douse an electrical fire.
Water will conduct electricity, and throwing water on or near a power source could give a severe electrical shock. It could even make the fire worse. Water could conduct the electricity to additional areas of the room, increasing the risk of igniting other flammable objects in the room.
HOW TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE
The first thing you want to do is unplug the device from the power source and call your local fire department. Even if you think you can put out the fire yourself, it’s important to have backup if the flames do get out of hand.
For minor fires, you might be able to use baking soda to extinguish the flames. Covering the smoldering or burning spot with baking soda can block oxygen flow to the fire with minimal chance of electrocution. Baking soda includes sodium bicarbonate, which is the same substance used in regulation fire extinguishers. You may be able to put out a smaller fire using a heavy blanket as well, but only if the flames are small enough to not catch the heavy blanket on fire as well.
For larger electrical fires, you need a Type C fire extinguisher. You should make sure you have at least one Type C or multi-use extinguisher in your home. Extinguishers should also be checked often to ensure they aren’t expired. If there’s a working fire extinguisher on hand, pull the pin at the top, point the nozzle at the source of the fire, and squeeze the handle. If the flames get too dangerous to put out by yourself or you are concerned the fire might block an exit, you should leave the home immediately, close the door , and then wait for help from the fire department.
For the smaller appliance fires, call Spokane Valley Appliance Repair once the flames are under control and we can diagnose the cause of the fire and repair the appliance and restore it to working order.
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