An appliance repair emergency could be a leak or smoke or even a fire coming from the appliance.
If an appliance emergency occurs, unplug the appliance immediately and then call Waukegan Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Waukegan. If there’s an electrical fire involving one of the appliances inside of your house, we advise calling the local fire department before attempting to eliminate the fire yourself.
An electrical fire can be very scary and very dangerous, but there are a couple of ways to be prepared in case of an emergency. If one of your appliances is in flames, it’s very important not to panic and remain calm. Follow these simple guidelines below to keep your home safe from electrical appliance fires.
HOW TO PREVENT ELECTRICAL FIRES
Homeowners can prevent electrical fires from starting by following a few simple guidelines for appliance safety. Do not plug a lot of electrical devices into a single outlet—the wiring can become overloaded and then spark a fire, especially when there is clutter like clothes or paper nearby the outlet.
Sometimes we forget about the apparent dangers of larger home appliances since they stay plugged in all of the time, but they can present as much of a fire hazard as smaller electrical devices like toasters and heaters. Larger appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine shouldn’t be left to run overnight or while you’re away from home, and do not place a freezer or refrigerator in direct sunlight, to prevent overworking the cooling systems inside.
Check all outlets regularly for extreme heat, signs of burns, and buzzing or crackling noises that might point to electrical arcing. Make sure you have at least one working smoke detector on every floor of your home, and test them quarterly to keep them in good working order.
WHAT TO NOT DO
If there is an appliance repair emergency such as an electrical fire, it can be tempting to put out the fire with water, however water should not be used on an electrical appliance fire.
Water conducts electricity, and throwing water on or near a power source could cause a harmful electrical shock. It might even make the fire even worse. Water could conduct the electricity to additional parts of the room, running the chance of igniting other flammable objects in the area.
HOW TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE
The immediate thing you want to do is to unplug the electric device from the power source and call the local fire department. Even if you can take care of the fire by yourself, it’s a good idea to have help if the fire does get out of hand.
For smaller fires, you may be able to use baking soda to extinguish the flames. Covering the fuming or burning area with baking soda can prohibit oxygen flow to the flames with very little risk of electrocution. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the same substance in regulation fire extinguishers. You also might be able to smother a smaller fire using a heavy blanket as well, but only if the fire is small enough to not catch the blanket on fire.
For large electrical appliance fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should always make sure you own at least one Type C extinguisher in your home. Extinguishers need to be checked often to make sure they are not expired. If you have a operational fire extinguisher in the home, just release the pin near the top, point the hose at the flames, and press the handle. If the flames get too big to put out alone or you think the fire may block an exit, leave the home right away, close the door , and then wait for help from the local fire department.
For the small appliance fires, call Waukegan Appliance Repair once the flames are under control and we will diagnose the cause of the fire and repair the electrical appliance and return it to working order.
OTHER RESOURCES:
Appliance Repair Cost
Appliance Repair Tips
Appliance Safety
Repair or Replace Appliances
Refrigerator Parts