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 right away and then call Manchester Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Manchester. If there’s an electrical fire from one of the large or small appliances inside your house, we advise calling the town fire department even before you try to put out the fire on your own.
An electrical fire can be scary and extremely dangerous, but there are a few steps to be prepared in case of an emergency. If an appliance goes up in flames, it is important not to panic. Follow our easy guidelines to help keep your home safe from electrical fires.
Homeowners are able to prevent electrical fires before they start by following a couple of simple guidelines for appliance safety in a home. Do not plug in more than two electrical devices into a single electrical outlet—the wiring can get overloaded and then spark a fire, especially if there is debris like paper or clothes close to the outlet.
It’s possible to forget about the apparent dangers of large appliances because they stay plugged in all of the time, but they still present as much of a fire hazard as small electrical appliances 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 try not to place a refrigerator or freezer in direct sunlight, to prevent overworking the cooling systems.
Inspect all of the outlets on a regular basis for excessive heat, signs of burns, and buzzing or crackling noises that could point to electrical arcing. Be sure you keep at least one smoke detector on every story of your home, and test the smoke detectors regularly to keep them in good working condition.
If there’s an appliance repair emergency such as an electrical fire, it might be tempting to put out the flames with water, however water should not be used to fight an electrical fire.
Water conducts electricity, and throwing water on or near a power source could give a severe electrical shock. It might even make the fire stronger. Water could conduct electricity to additional areas of the room, running the chance of igniting more flammable objects in the area.
The first step you need to do is unplug the electric device from the power source and call the local fire department. Even if you might be able to take care of the fire on your own, it’s a good idea to have backup if the flames do get out of hand.
For minor fires, you may be able to pour on baking soda to douse the flames. Covering the smoldering or burning spot with baking soda can prohibit oxygen flow to the fire with little risk of electrocution. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the substance used in regulation fire extinguishers. You also might be able to extinguish a small fire using a heavy blanket, but only if the flames are small enough to not catch the heavy blanket on fire.
For big electrical fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should always make sure you own at least one Type C or multi-use extinguisher in your house. Extinguishers should also be inspected often to ensure they aren’t expired. If there’s a operational extinguisher in the home, pull the pin at the top, point the hose at the source of the flames, and press the handle. If the fire gets too dangerous to put out by yourself or you think the fire might block an exit, you should leave the house as fast as possible, close the door behind you, and then wait for assistance from the local fire department.
For the small appliance fires, call Manchester Appliance Repair once the flames are under control and we can diagnose the reason for the fire and repair the appliance and restore it to working order.
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