Emergency Appliance Repair

An 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 call Pride Appliance Repair for local appliance repair. If there is an electrical fire happening with one of the large or small appliances inside your house, we suggest calling the town fire department before you attempt to eliminate the fire on your own.

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 electrical appliance is in flames, it’s very important to not panic and remain calm. Follow our easy guidelines below to keep your house safe from electrical fires.

PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES

You can stop electrical fires before they start by following a few basic rules of appliance safety. Be sure not to plug too many electrical devices into a single electrical outlet—the wiring might get overloaded and then spark a fire, especially if there’s debris like paper or clothes nearby the outlet.

It’s possible to forget about the apparent dangers of larger home appliances since they stay plugged in all the time, but they can present as much of a fire hazard as smaller electrical appliances like toasters and space heaters. Larger appliances like a washing machine or dishwasher shouldn’t be left running overnight or any time you are not at home, and try not to place a freezer or refrigerator in direct sunlight, to prevent overworking the cooling systems inside.

Check all of the outlets regularly for extreme heat, burns, and crackling or buzzing noises that might point to electrical arcing. Make sure you store at least one working smoke detector on each floor of your house, and test the smoke detectors often to keep them in working condition.

WHAT NOT TO DO

If there is an appliance repair emergency such as an electrical fire, it can be tempting to put out the fire with water, however water should not be used to put out an electrical appliance fire.

Water can conduct electricity, and pouring water on or near a power source can cause a severe electrical shock. It could even make the fire stronger. Water can conduct electricity to other parts of the room, running the chance of igniting other flammable items nearby.

HOW TO EXTINGUISH AN ELECTRICAL FIRE

The first thing you want to do is to unplug the electric appliance from the power outlet and call the fire department. Even if you think you are able to put out the fire by yourself, it is a good idea to have help if the fire does get out of control.

For minor fires, you may be able to pour on baking soda to douse the flames. Covering the fuming or burning area with some baking soda can block oxygen flow to the fire with minimal risk of electrocution. Baking soda contains sodium bicarbonate, which is the same chemical in regulation fire extinguishers. You also might be able to put out a smaller fire with a heavy blanket as well, but only when the flames are small enough to not catch the heavy blanket on fire.

For larger electrical appliance fires, you need a Type C fire extinguisher. You should be sure you own at least one Type C fire extinguisher in your home. Extinguishers should also be checked regularly to ensure they are not expired. If there’s a working fire extinguisher in the home, just release the pin near the top, aim the hose at the source of the flames, and squeeze the handle. If the fire gets too big to put out by yourself or you are concerned the fire could block an exit, leave the house as fast as possible, close the door , and wait for assistance from the local fire department.

For the small appliance fires, call Pride Appliance Repair once the fire is extinguished and we will diagnose the cause of the fire and repair the appliance and return it to working order.

OTHER RESOURCES:

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