Emergency Appliance Repair

A typical appliance repair emergency might be a leak or smoke or even a fire coming from the household appliance.

In the event of an appliance emergency, unplug the appliance immediately and call United Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Fullerton  If there is an electrical fire from one of the large or small appliances inside of your home, we advise calling the fire department even before you try to extinguish the fire on your own.

An electrical fire from an appliance is very scary and very dangerous, but there are a couple of steps to be prepared in the event of an emergency. If an appliance goes up in flames, it is very important to not panic. Follow these simple guidelines to help keep your home safe from electrical fires.

PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES

Homeowners are able to stop electrical fires from starting by following a few basic guidelines for appliance safety. Do not plug more than two electrical devices into a single outlet—the wiring can become overloaded and spark a fire, especially when there’s clutter like clothes or paper near the electrical outlet.

Sometimes we forget about the dangers of large home appliances because they remain plugged in all the time, but they present as much chance for a fire hazard as smaller electrical devices like toasters and space heaters. Larger appliances like a washing machine or dishwasher should not be left to run overnight or any time you are away from home, and try not to place a refrigerator or freezer in direct sunlight, to prevent overworking their cooling systems.

Examine all outlets on a regular basis for excessive heat, signs of burns, and buzzing or crackling sounds that could indicate electrical arcing. Be sure you store at least one smoke detector on each floor of your house, and test the smoke detectors quarterly to keep them in working condition.

WHAT NOT TO DO

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

Water can conduct electricity, and throwing water on a power source can give a harmful electrical shock. It could even make the fire even worse. Water can conduct electricity to additional locations of the room, increasing the risk of igniting more flammable objects nearby.

HOW TO EXTINGUISH AN ELECTRICAL FIRE

The immediate thing you want to do is unplug the electric appliance from the power source and call the fire department. Even if you think you can put out the fire on your own, it is a good idea to have help if the flames do get out of control.

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

For larger electrical appliance fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should make sure you have at least one Type C or multi-use fire extinguisher in your house. Extinguishers should also be checked consistently to be sure they are not expired. If you have a working extinguisher in the home, release the pin at the top, aim the hose at the source of the flames, and squeeze the handle. If the fire gets too dangerous to put out by yourself or you are concerned the fire may block an exit, leave the home right away, shut the door behind you, and then wait for help from the fire department.

For the smaller appliance fires, call United Appliance Repair once the flames are under control and we can diagnose the cause of the fire and repair the electrical appliance and restore it to its original condition.

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