An 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 PTX Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Pasadena. If there is an electrical fire from one of the appliances inside of your home, we advise calling the city fire department even before you attempt to eliminate the fire yourself.
An electrical fire can be scary and extremely dangerous, but there are a couple of steps to be prepared in case of an emergency. If an appliance is in flames, it’s very important not to panic. Follow our simple guidelines to help keep your home safe from electrical appliance fires.
You are able to prevent electrical fires from starting by following a few simple rules of appliance safety in a home. Don’t plug more than two electrical devices into one electrical outlet—the wiring can become overloaded and spark a fire, especially when there’s debris like paper or clothes nearby the outlet.
It’s possible to forget about the dangers of larger appliances since they stay plugged in all the time, but they can present as much chance for a fire hazard as smaller devices like kitchen toasters and space heaters. Larger appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine should not be left to run overnight or any time you’re away from home, and try not to place a freezer or refrigerator in direct sunlight, in order to prevent possibly overworking their cooling systems inside.
Inspect all of the outlets on a regular basis for extreme heat, burns, and buzzing or crackling noises that could indicate electrical arcing. Be sure you keep at least one smoke detector on every floor of your home, and test the smoke detectors quarterly to keep them in good working order.
If there’s an appliance repair emergency involving an electrical fire, it can be tempting to put out the flames with water, but water should not be used to put out an electrical appliance fire.
Water will conduct electricity, and pouring water on a power source can give a severe electrical shock. It might even make the fire even worse. Water could conduct electricity to additional parts of the room, increasing the chance of igniting more flammable objects nearby.
The immediate thing you want to do is unplug the appliance from the power source and call the fire department. Even if you think you might be able to take care of the fire yourself, it’s important to have help if the flames do get out of hand.
For small fires, you may be able to use baking soda to smother the flames. Covering the smoldering or burning area with some baking soda can prohibit oxygen flow to the fire with minimal chance of electrocution. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the substance used in regulation fire extinguishers. You also may be able to extinguish a small fire with 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 fires, you need a Type C fire extinguisher. You should always make sure you have at least one Type C extinguisher in your house. Extinguishers should also be checked regularly to ensure they have not expired. If there’s a working fire extinguisher on hand, just release the pin at the top, aim the nozzle at the source of the flames, and press the handle. If the fire gets too dangerous to put out by yourself or you are concerned the fire could block an exit, you should leave the house immediately, close the door behind you, and then wait for assistance from the fire department.
For the smaller appliance fires, call PTX Appliance Repair once the fire is extinguished and we can diagnose the cause of the fire and repair the electrical appliance and restore it to its original condition.
OTHER RESOURCES:
Appliance Repair Cost
Appliance Repair Tips
Appliance Safety
Repair or Replace Appliances
Refrigerator Parts
Copyright ©2024 PTX Pasadena Appliance Repair
CLICK-TO-CALL