A typical appliance repair emergency could be a leak or smoke or even flames coming from the appliance.
In the event of an appliance emergency, unplug the appliance immediately and call Fort Smith Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Fort Smith. If there is an electrical fire resulting from one of the large or small appliances in your home, we advise calling the town fire department before attempting to eliminate the fire on your own.
An electrical fire can be scary and extremely dangerous, but there are a few steps to be prepared in the event of an emergency. If an electrical appliance goes up in flames, it is important not to panic and to remain calm. Follow our easy guidelines to help keep your home safe from electrical fires.
HOW TO PREVENT ELECTRICAL FIRES
You can stop electrical fires from starting by following a few simple rules of appliance safety in a home. Be careful not to plug too many devices into a single outlet—the wiring might get overloaded and spark a fire, especially when there’s debris like paper or clothes nearby the electrical outlet.
It is possible to forget about the dangers of large appliances since they stay plugged in all the time, but they can present as much of a fire hazard as small devices like toasters and heaters. Large appliances like a washing machine or dishwasher shouldn’t be left running overnight or while you’re not at home, and don’t keep a freezer or refrigerator in direct sunlight, to prevent possibly overworking the cooling systems.
Check all outlets on a regular basis for extreme heat, burns, and crackling or buzzing noises that could point to electrical arcing. Make sure you keep at least one working smoke detector on every floor of your house, and test them often to keep them in working order.
WHAT NOT TO DO
If there is an appliance repair emergency such as an electrical fire, it could be tempting to douse the fire with water, but water should not be used to put out an electrical fire.
Water can conduct electricity, and dumping water on or near a power source can cause a severe electrical shock. It could even make the fire stronger. Water might conduct the electricity to additional areas of the room, increasing the chance of igniting more flammable objects nearby.
HOW TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE
The first thing you should do is unplug the appliance from the power outlet and call the fire department. Even if you think you can extinguish the fire by yourself, it’s important to have backup if the fire does get out of hand.
For smaller fires, you could be able to use baking soda to smother the fire. Covering the fuming or burning spot with a layer of baking soda can prevent oxygen flow to the fire with minimal risk of electrocution. Baking soda also contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the chemical used in regulation fire extinguishers. You may be able to smother a smaller fire with a heavy blanket as well, but only when the fire is small enough to not catch the blanket on fire too.
For big electrical fires, you need a Type C fire extinguisher. You should make sure you own at least one Type C or multi-use fire extinguisher in your home. Extinguishers need to be checked often to be sure they haven’t expired. If there’s a working extinguisher on hand, just pull the pin near the top, point the nozzle at the source of the flames, and squeeze the handle. If the flames get too big to fight alone or you think the fire could block an exit, leave the home right away, shut the door behind you, and wait for help from the fire department.
For the small appliance fires, call Fort Smith Appliance Repair once the flames are under control and we will identify the reason for the fire and repair the appliance and return it to its original condition.
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