Emergency Appliance Repair

An appliance repair emergency might be a leak or smoke or even flames coming from the appliance.

If an appliance emergency occurs, unplug the appliance right away and call Crown Citrus Heights Appliance Repair for local appliance repair in Citrus Heights. If there is an electrical fire from one of the appliances inside of your house, we recommend calling the city fire department even before you try 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 the event of an emergency. If an appliance is in flames, it is important to not panic and remain calm. Follow our simple guidelines to help keep your home safe from electrical fires.

PREVENTING ELECTRICAL FIRES

Homeowners can stop electrical fires from starting by following a few simple guidelines for appliance safety. Do not plug in too many electrical devices into a single outlet—the wiring can get overloaded and spark a fire, especially when there’s clutter like paper or clothes close to the electrical outlet.

It’s possible to forget about the apparent dangers of larger household appliances since they are plugged in all of the time, but they still present as much chance for a fire hazard as small appliances like kitchen toasters and space heaters. Larger appliances like a dishwasher or washing machine shouldn’t be left to run overnight or any time you’re away from home, and don’t keep a freezer or refrigerator in line of direct sunlight, in order to prevent possibly overworking the cooling systems inside.

Examine all outlets regularly for extreme heat, burns, and buzzing or crackling sounds that could point to electrical arcing. Be sure you keep at least one smoke detector on every story of your house, and test the smoke detectors quarterly to keep them in good working order.

WHAT TO NOT DO

If there’s an appliance repair emergency such as an electrical fire, it could be tempting to douse the flames with water, but water should never be used on an electrical appliance fire.

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

HOW TO EXTINGUISH AN ELECTRICAL FIRE

The immediate step you should do is unplug the appliance from the power outlet and call your local fire department. Even if you think you can extinguish the fire by yourself, it is a good idea to have help if the flames do get out of control.

For minor fires, you may be able to pour on baking soda to smother the fire. Covering the smoldering or burning area with some baking soda will sometimes prevent oxygen flow to the flames with minimal chance of electrocution. Baking soda includes sodium bicarbonate, which is the substance in regulation fire extinguishers. You also may be able to extinguish a small fire with a heavy blanket, but only if the fire is 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 have at least one Type C or multi-use fire extinguisher in your house. Extinguishers need to be inspected often to be sure they are not expired. If there’s a operational fire extinguisher in the home, just release the pin near the top, aim the hose at the flames, and squeeze the handle. If the flames get too big to put out by yourself or you are concerned the fire might block an exit, leave the house as fast as possible, close the door behind you, and wait for help from the fire department.

For the small appliance fires, call Crown Citrus Heights Appliance Repair once the fire is under control and we will diagnose the cause of the fire and repair the appliance and return it to working order.

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