A typical appliance repair emergency might be a leak or smoke or even flames coming from the appliance.
In the event of an appliance emergency in your house, unplug the appliance right away and call Beaverton Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Beaverton. If there is an electrical fire happening with one of the appliances in your house, we recommend calling the town fire department before attempting to extinguish the fire on your own.
An electrical fire is 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. Follow our easy guidelines below to help keep your house safe from electrical appliance fires.
HOW TO PREVENT ELECTRICAL FIRES
Homeowners are able to stop 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 electrical outlet—the wiring might become overloaded and then spark a fire, especially when there’s debris like paper or clothes nearby the electrical outlet.
It is possible to forget about the apparent dangers of larger household appliances because they stay plugged in all the time, but they can present as much of a fire hazard as smaller appliances like kitchen toasters and heaters. Larger appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine should not be left to run overnight or any time you’re away from home, and try not to keep a freezer or refrigerator in line of direct sunlight, to prevent possibly overworking their cooling systems.
Examine all of the outlets regularly for extreme heat, burns, and crackling or buzzing sounds that might point to electrical arcing. Make sure you keep at least one working smoke detector on every floor of your home, and test the smoke detectors quarterly to keep them in good working condition.
WHAT TO NOT DO
If there’s an appliance repair emergency involving an electrical fire, it could be tempting to douse the flames with water, however water should never be used to fight an electrical fire.
Water can conduct electricity, and pouring water on a power source can cause a severe electrical shock. It could even make the fire stronger. Water can conduct electricity to additional areas of the room, running the chance of igniting more flammable objects in the area.
HOW TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE
The first thing you should do is unplug the electric device from the power outlet and call your local fire department. Even if you can handle the fire on your own, it’s a good idea to have backup if the flames do get out of control.
For little fires, you may be able to pour on baking soda to douse the fire. Covering the fuming or burning area with a layer of baking soda will sometimes prohibit oxygen flow to the fire with minimal risk of electrocution. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the substance used in standard fire extinguishers. You also may be able to smother a smaller fire using a heavy blanket, but only when the fire is small enough not to catch the blanket on fire.
For larger electrical fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should always make sure you own at least one Type C fire extinguisher in your house. Extinguishers should also be checked regularly to ensure they have not expired. If you have a operational fire extinguisher on hand, release the pin at the top, point the hose at the source of the flames, and squeeze the handle. If the fire gets too big to fight alone or you think the fire may block an exit, leave the home immediately, shut the door behind you, and then wait for assistance from the local fire department.
For the small appliance fires, call Beaverton Appliance Repair once the flames are extinguished and we can diagnose the reason for the fire and repair the appliance and restore it to working order.
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