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, unplug the appliance right away and then call Achieve Dearborn Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Dearborn. If there is an electrical fire resulting from one of the large or small appliances in your house, we advise calling the fire department even before attempting to eliminate the fire on your own.
An electrical fire can be scary and very dangerous, but there are a few steps to be prepared in the event of an emergency. If one of your appliances is in flames, it’s very important to not panic and to remain calm. Follow these easy guidelines below to keep your home safe from electrical appliance fires.
PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES
Homeowners can stop electrical fires from ever starting by following some basic guidelines for appliance safety in a home. Don’t plug too many electrical devices into a single outlet—the wiring might become overloaded and spark a fire, especially when there is clutter like clothes or paper close to the outlet.
Sometimes we forget about the dangers of larger home appliances because they are plugged in all of the time, but they present as much chance for a fire hazard as small electrical appliances like toasters and space heaters. Large appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine should not be left to run overnight or any time you’re away from home, and don’t place a freezer or refrigerator in line of direct sunlight, in order to prevent possibly overworking the cooling systems inside.
Examine all of the outlets regularly for excessive heat, burns, and buzzing or crackling noises that might indicate electrical arcing. Be sure you keep at least one working smoke detector on each floor of your home, and test the smoke detectors regularly to keep them in good working condition.
WHAT TO NOT DO
If there’s an appliance repair emergency such as an electrical fire, it can be tempting to douse the fire with water, however water should never be used to put out an electrical appliance fire.
Water can conduct electricity, and dumping water on a power source might give a dangerous electrical shock. It might even make the fire even worse. Water can conduct electricity to other locations of the room, running the chance of igniting more flammable items in the area.
HOW TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE
The first step you should do is to unplug the device from the power outlet and call your local fire department. Even if you think you might be able to extinguish the fire by yourself, it’s a good idea to have help if the fire does get out of control.
For smaller fires, you could be able to use baking soda to extinguish the fire. Covering the smoking or burning spot with baking soda can block oxygen flow to the flames with minimal chance of electrocution. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the substance used in standard fire extinguishers. You also could be able to extinguish a smaller fire with a heavy blanket as well, but only if the fire is small enough not to catch the blanket on fire too.
For larger electrical fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should be sure you own at least one Type C fire extinguisher in your house. Extinguishers should also be inspected consistently to ensure they aren’t expired. If there is a working fire extinguisher in the home, just release the pin near the top, aim the nozzle at the fire, and press the handle. If the fire gets too dangerous to put out alone or you think the fire may block an exit, you should leave the house immediately, close the door behind you, and then wait for help from the fire department.
For the smaller appliance fires, call Achieve Dearborn Appliance Repair once the fire is extinguished and we will identify the reason for the fire and repair the appliance and return it to working order.
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