Emergency Appliance Repair

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

If an appliance emergency arises in your home, unplug the appliance right away and then call Hawk Appliance Repair for local appliance repair. If there is an electrical fire from one of the appliances inside of your house, we suggest calling the city fire department before attempting to put out the fire by yourself.

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

PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES

Homeowners are able to prevent electrical fires before they start by following a couple of basic rules of appliance safety. Do not plug in more than two devices into one outlet—the wiring might get overloaded and spark a fire, especially if there’s clutter like paper or clothes near the electrical outlet.

It can be easy to forget about the dangers of large residential appliances because they are plugged in all the time, but they can present as much chance for a fire hazard as smaller appliances like kitchen toasters and heaters. Larger appliances like a washing machine or dishwasher shouldn’t be left running overnight or while you are not at home, and try not to place a freezer or refrigerator in direct sunlight, in order to prevent overworking the cooling systems.

Inspect all outlets regularly for excessive heat, signs of burns, and buzzing or crackling sounds that could indicate electrical arcing. Be sure you store at least one working smoke detector on each floor of your home, and test them often to keep them in working order.

WHAT TO NOT DO

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

Water conducts electricity, and dumping water on a power source might give a dangerous electrical shock. It could even make the fire stronger. Water can conduct electricity to other locations of the room, increasing the risk of igniting other flammable objects in the room.

HOW TO EXTINGUISH AN ELECTRICAL FIRE

The first step you want to do is unplug the electric device from the power source and call the local fire department. Even if you think you can take care of the fire yourself, it’s important to have help if the flames do get out of control.

For small fires, you might be able to pour on baking soda to smother the flames. Covering the smoking or burning area with some baking soda can prevent oxygen flow to the fire with very little chance of electrocution. Baking soda also contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the chemical used in standard fire extinguishers. You also could be able to extinguish a small fire using a heavy blanket as well, but only when the flames are small enough not to catch the heavy blanket on fire too.

For larger electrical fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should always be sure you own at least one Type C or multi-use extinguisher in your home. Extinguishers should also be inspected consistently to be sure they are not expired. If there is a operational fire extinguisher in the home, pull the pin at the top, aim the hose at the source of the fire, and squeeze the handle. If the fire gets too big to put out by yourself or you are concerned the fire might block an exit, leave the home immediately, close the door behind you, and then wait for help from the fire department.

For the small appliance fires, call Hawk Appliance Repair once the flames are under control and we will identify the cause of 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
Refrigerator Parts