Emergency Appliance Repair

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

In the event of an appliance emergency, unplug the appliance right away and then call Midwest Appliance Repair for local appliance repair. If there’s an electrical fire from one of the large or small appliances in your house, we advise calling the fire department even before you attempt to extinguish the fire yourself.

An electrical fire from an appliance can be scary and very 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 is very important not to panic. Follow these simple guidelines to keep your home safe from electrical appliance fires.

HOW TO PREVENT ELECTRICAL FIRES

Homeowners can prevent electrical fires before they start by following a few simple guidelines for appliance safety in a home. Do not plug more than two electrical devices into a single outlet—the wiring might get overloaded and then spark a fire, especially if there is debris like paper or clothes close to the outlet.

Sometimes we forget about the apparent dangers of large household appliances since they remain plugged in all the time, but they present as much chance for a fire hazard as small electrical appliances like kitchen toasters and space heaters. Large appliances like a washing machine or dishwasher shouldn’t be left to run overnight or any time you are not at home, and don’t place a freezer or refrigerator in direct sunlight, to prevent overworking the cooling systems inside.

Examine all of the outlets on a regular basis for excessive 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 each floor of your home, and test the smoke detectors often to keep them in working order.

WHAT NOT TO DO

If there is an appliance repair emergency involving an electrical fire, it might 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 dumping water on a power source might cause a harmful electrical shock. It could even make the fire stronger. Water could conduct electricity to other parts of the room, running the risk of igniting more flammable items nearby.

HOW TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE

The first thing you want to do is to unplug the device from the power source and call your local fire department. Even if you think you might be able to take care of the fire by yourself, it is important to have help if the flames do get out of control.

For minor fires, you could be able to use baking soda to douse the flames. Covering the smoldering or burning area with a layer of baking soda will sometimes block oxygen flow to the fire with minimal risk of electrocution. Baking soda also contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the chemical used in regulation fire extinguishers. You may be able to put out a smaller fire using a heavy blanket, but only if the fire is small enough to not catch the heavy blanket on fire.

For large electrical fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should make sure you own at least one Type C extinguisher in your house. Extinguishers need to be checked often to be sure they have not expired. If you have a operational fire extinguisher on hand, release the pin near the top, point the nozzle at the source of the fire, and squeeze the handle. If the fire gets too dangerous to put out by yourself or you think the fire may block an exit, leave the home immediately, shut the door , and then wait for assistance from the fire department.

For the smaller appliance fires, call Midwest Appliance Repair once the fire is extinguished and we can identify the reason for the fire and repair the appliance and return it to its original condition.

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Appliance Repair Cost
Appliance Repair Tips
Appliance Safety
Repair or Replace Appliances
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