Emergency Appliance Repair

An appliance repair emergency could be a leak or smoke or even flames coming from the appliance.

In the event of an appliance emergency in your home, unplug the appliance immediately and then call Webb Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Mesa. If there is an electrical fire involving one of the large or small appliances inside of your house, we suggest calling the fire department before you attempt to eliminate the fire on your own.

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 is in flames, it is important to not panic and remain calm. Follow these easy guidelines below to keep your home safe from electrical appliance fires.

HOW TO PREVENT ELECTRICAL FIRES

Homeowners are able to prevent electrical fires from starting by following a couple of simple guidelines for appliance safety in a home. Be careful not to plug in too many devices into a single electrical outlet—the wiring can get overloaded and spark a fire, especially if there’s clutter like clothes or paper close to the outlet.

It can be easy to forget about the dangers of large residential appliances since they stay plugged in all of the time, but they present as much of a fire hazard as small electrical appliances like kitchen toasters and heaters. Larger appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine shouldn’t be left running overnight or any time you are not at home, and don’t keep a freezer or refrigerator in line of direct sunlight, to prevent possibly overworking the cooling systems inside.

Inspect all of the outlets regularly for excessive heat, burns, and crackling or buzzing sounds that might indicate electrical arcing. Make sure you keep at least one working smoke detector on each floor of your home, and test them regularly to keep them in working condition.

WHAT TO NOT DO

If there is an appliance repair emergency involving an electrical fire, it could be tempting to douse the flames with water, but water should not be used to put out an electrical appliance fire.

Water conducts electricity, and pouring water on or near a power source can give a dangerous electrical shock. It might even make the fire even worse. Water can conduct the electricity to other parts of the room, increasing the risk of igniting other flammable items in the room.

HOW TO EXTINGUISH AN ELECTRICAL FIRE

The first thing you need to do is unplug the electric device from the power source and call your local fire department. Even if you think you can extinguish the fire by yourself, it is a good idea to have backup if the flames do get out of control.

For small fires, you might be able to use baking soda to smother the flames. Covering the smoking or burning area with baking soda can prohibit oxygen flow to the flames with minimal risk of electrocution. Baking soda also contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the same chemical used in regulation fire extinguishers. You might be able to smother a small fire using a heavy blanket, but only when the fire is small enough to not catch the heavy blanket on fire as well.

For large electrical fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should always be sure you have at least one Type C or multi-use extinguisher in your home. Extinguishers should also be checked often to ensure they aren’t expired. If there’s a operational fire 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 alone or you are concerned the fire could block an exit, you should leave the home as fast as possible, close the door , and wait for help from the local fire department.

For the small appliance fires, call Webb Appliance Repair once the flames are under control and we will diagnose the reason for the fire and repair the electrical appliance and restore it to its original condition.

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