A typical appliance repair emergency could be a leak or smoke or even a fire coming from the home appliance.
If an appliance emergency arises in your home, unplug the appliance right away and call Direct Denver Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Denver. If there’s an electrical fire from one of the appliances in your home, we advise calling the fire department before attempting to eliminate the fire by yourself.
An electrical fire from an appliance can be scary and extremely dangerous, but there are a few steps to be prepared in case of an emergency. If one of your appliances goes up in flames, it’s very important not to panic and remain calm. Follow these easy guidelines to keep your house safe from electrical fires.
PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES
Homeowners are able to prevent electrical fires from starting by following a few basic rules of appliance safety. Be sure not to plug more than two electrical devices into a single electrical outlet—the wiring can become overloaded and then spark a fire, especially when there’s clutter like clothes or paper nearby the electrical outlet.
It can be easy to forget about the dangers of larger home appliances because they stay plugged in all the time, but they can present as much chance for a fire hazard as small electrical devices like toasters and heaters. Larger appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine shouldn’t be left running overnight or any time you’re not at home, and don’t keep a refrigerator or freezer in line of direct sunlight, to prevent overworking the cooling systems.
Examine all outlets regularly for extreme heat, signs of burns, and buzzing or crackling noises that could indicate electrical arcing. Make sure you keep at least one smoke detector on every story of your house, and test them quarterly to keep them in good working condition.
WHAT TO NOT DO
If there’s an appliance repair emergency such as an electrical fire, it might be tempting to put out the fire with water, but water should never be used to fight an electrical appliance fire.
Water can conduct electricity, and dumping water on or near a power source can cause a dangerous electrical shock. It could even make the fire worse. Water can conduct electricity to additional areas of the room, increasing the risk of igniting other flammable items nearby.
HOW TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE
The first step you need to do is to unplug the device from the power outlet and call the local fire department. Even if you think you can take care of the fire on your own, it is a good idea to have backup if the fire does get out of control.
For minor fires, you might be able to pour on baking soda to douse the fire. Covering the fuming or burning spot with some baking soda can prohibit oxygen flow to the fire with little risk of electrocution. Baking soda includes sodium bicarbonate, which is the substance used in standard fire extinguishers. You could be able to smother a small 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 big electrical appliance fires, use 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 inspected regularly to make sure they aren’t expired. If there is a working extinguisher in the home, pull the pin near the top, point the nozzle at the flames, and press the handle. If the flames get too dangerous to put out alone or you think the fire might block an exit, leave the home right away, close the door behind you, and then wait for assistance from the local fire department.
For the smaller appliance fires, call Direct Denver Appliance Repair once the fire is extinguished and we can identify the cause of the fire and repair the electrical appliance and restore it to working order.
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