An appliance repair emergency might be a leak or smoke or even a fire coming from the household appliance.
In the event of an appliance emergency, unplug the appliance immediately and then call Rapid Rockford Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Rockford. If there’s an electrical fire happening with one of the appliances in your home, we advise calling the fire department before you try to eliminate the fire by yourself.
An electrical fire from an appliance is scary and extremely dangerous, but there are a few steps to be prepared in case of an emergency. If one of your appliances is in flames, it’s very important to not panic and to remain calm. Follow our easy guidelines below to help keep your home safe from electrical fires.
PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES
Homeowners can stop electrical fires from starting by following a couple of basic rules of appliance safety. Don’t plug more than two devices into one outlet—the wiring might get overloaded and then spark a fire, especially if there is debris like clothes or paper nearby the outlet.
Sometimes we forget about the dangers of large appliances since they remain plugged in all the time, but they present as much chance for a fire hazard as smaller electrical devices like toasters and heaters. Larger appliances like a washing machine or dishwasher shouldn’t be left to run overnight or any time you are away from home, and don’t place a refrigerator or freezer in line of direct sunlight, in order to prevent possibly overworking the cooling systems inside.
Examine all of the outlets regularly for excessive heat, signs of burns, and buzzing or crackling noises that might indicate electrical arcing. Make sure you have at least one smoke detector on each floor of your house, and test them quarterly to keep them in good working order.
WHAT NOT TO DO
If there’s an appliance repair emergency involving an electrical fire, it could be tempting to douse the fire with water, however water shouldn’t be used to douse an electrical appliance fire.
Water can conduct electricity, and pouring water on a power source might cause a harmful electrical shock. It could even make the fire even worse. Water might conduct the electricity to additional parts of the room, increasing the risk of igniting other flammable items nearby.
HOW TO EXTINGUISH AN ELECTRICAL FIRE
The first thing you need to do is unplug the electric appliance from the power outlet and call your fire department. Even if you think you might be able to extinguish the fire on your own, it is a good idea to have backup if the flames do get out of control.
For small fires, you might be able to pour on baking soda to smother the flames. Covering the fuming or burning spot with baking soda will sometimes block oxygen flow to the fire with minimal chance of electrocution. Baking soda includes sodium bicarbonate, which is the substance used in regulation fire extinguishers. You also may be able to smother a smaller fire with a heavy blanket, but only when the flames are small enough to not catch the blanket on fire too.
For big electrical fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should always make sure you have at least one Type C or multi-use fire extinguisher in your home. Extinguishers should also be inspected often to ensure they aren’t expired. If there is a operational fire extinguisher on hand, release the pin at the top, point the nozzle at the source of the fire, and press the handle. If the flames get too dangerous to put out alone or you think the fire could block an exit, leave the house as fast as possible, shut the door behind you, and then wait for help from the local fire department.
For the smaller appliance fires, call Rapid Rockford Appliance Repair once the fire is under control and we can diagnose the reason for the fire and repair the appliance and restore it to its original condition.
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