Emergency Appliance Repair

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

In the event of an appliance emergency, unplug the appliance right away and then call Rhodes Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in CITY. If there is an electrical fire from one of the large or small appliances inside of your home, we advise calling the city fire department before attempting to eliminate the fire on your own.

An electrical fire can be very scary and very dangerous, but there are a couple of steps to be prepared in case of an emergency. If an electrical appliance goes up in flames, it is important not to panic and to remain calm. Follow our easy guidelines below to keep your home safe from electrical fires.

HOW TO PREVENT ELECTRICAL FIRES

You are able to prevent electrical fires before they start by following a few basic rules of appliance safety in a home. Be careful not to plug too many electrical devices into one electrical outlet—the wiring can become overloaded and spark a fire, especially if there’s debris like paper or clothes close to the outlet.

It is possible to forget about the dangers of large residential appliances because they remain plugged in all the time, but they can present as much of a fire hazard as smaller electrical appliances like kitchen toasters and heaters. Larger appliances like a washing machine or dishwasher shouldn’t be left running overnight or any time you’re not at home, and do not place a freezer or refrigerator in line of direct sunlight, to prevent overworking the cooling systems inside.

Examine all outlets on a regular basis for extreme heat, burns, and crackling or buzzing noises that could indicate electrical arcing. Make sure you keep at least one working smoke detector on each floor of your home, and test the smoke detectors often to keep them in good working order.

WHAT NOT TO DO

If there’s an appliance repair emergency such as an electrical fire, it could be tempting to put out the flames with water, but water shouldn’t be used to put out an electrical fire.

Water can conduct electricity, and throwing water on or near a power source might cause a severe electrical shock. It could even make the fire stronger. Water can conduct electricity to additional locations of the room, increasing the chance of igniting more flammable items nearby.

HOW TO PUT OUT AN ELECTRICAL FIRE

The immediate step you want to do is to unplug the electric appliance from the power source and call your local fire department. Even if you think you can take care of the fire on your own, it’s a good idea to have help if the flames do get out of hand.

For small fires, you could be able to pour on baking soda to douse the flames. Covering the smoking or burning spot with a layer of baking soda can prohibit oxygen flow to the flames with minimal risk of electrocution. Baking soda includes sodium bicarbonate, which is the chemical in standard fire extinguishers. You may be able to smother a smaller fire using a heavy blanket as well, but only if the flames are small enough to not catch the heavy blanket on fire.

For big electrical appliance fires, use a Type C fire extinguisher. You should be sure you have at least one Type C fire extinguisher in your house. Extinguishers should also be checked regularly to ensure they aren’t expired. If there’s a working extinguisher on hand, release the pin at the top, point the hose at the source of the fire, and press the handle. If the fire gets too dangerous to put out alone or you think the fire could block an exit, you should leave the house as fast as possible, shut the door , and then wait for assistance from the local fire department.

For the small appliance fires, call Rhodes Appliance Repair once the fire is under control and we will diagnose the cause of the fire and repair the electrical appliance and restore it to working order.

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