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Having any type of an open fire at home is surely a situation everyone tries to avoid. In case of appliances, these fires are mostly electrical, and for this reason, the situation gets even more complex. It’s very important to understand how these malfunctions work and to be aware of everything we can do to help avoid this situation. Most importantly, as we know it - better prevent than to deal with the problem, or if you wish - “better safe than sorry”. So we’ve gathered the information you need to easily prevent or take care of any electrical open flame that might happen if something goes wrong unexpectedly.
First and foremost, whatever happens - don’t panic! And the rest is even simpler than that.
How To Prevent Electrical Fires From Happening
There are a few easy steps to take in order to prevent any electrical fire from happening when it comes to using your appliances. One of the major ones would be not to plug many devices into a single outlet. The consequence of this action is that the wiring can be overloaded. This may cause sparks and later an open fire, even easier if there are any flammable items near the wires. Otherwise, surely there are larger appliances that stay plugged in like refrigerators, ranges and similar, but the risk of a hazard is pretty much the same as with smaller appliances. Most of us don’t practice this action much but to be sure of our safety, large appliances like washers and dryers should be turned off and not left running during the night. Additionally, when it comes to refrigerators and freezers, make sure not to place them in direct sunlight, as they are cooling appliances, that may overwork and cause damage or even a hazard. Additionally, be in control of your power outlets. Make sure to check for any sounds that may seem strange, burn marks and similar. Also, it would be a good thing to have some fire detectors installed in a household.
Don’t Use Water For Putting Out Electrical Fires
In case of fire all of us react the same, meaning following the first logical solution to the problem, and splashing larger amounts of water over the open flame. But with electrical fires this is a major “don’t”. As water conducts electricity this action may cause an electrical shock which can damage the entire electrical system in your home. In some cases, it can make a fire hazard much worse. So to avoid conducting electricity to other, more flammable items in the area have in mind that adding water to this problem is strictly forbidden.
Three Ways To Extinguish an Electrical Fire
There are three actions advised to take in case of an electrical fire, depending on its magnitude.
If you’re in a safe position to do this, the first thing is to unplug the appliance from the outlet. After that, immediately contact a fire department as it would be a good backup solution if for any reason you are unable to extinguish the fire.
Baking soda is your best friend for fighting smaller fires. As it blocks the oxygen flow the best thing is to cover the fire with baking soda and you will not be running a risk of making a bigger damage.
A fire extinguisher is the most powerful solution to an open flame of any kind. As there are many versions of fire extinguishers the best thing would be to have at least one of type C or multi-use one to be able to fight a bit larger fires. Bare in mind that fire extinguishers need to be checked regularly for their expiration date. Just follow the instructions written on the device and put out the fire as calm as you can at the moment. Otherwise, if you think it may be too dangerous to fight the fire yourself, evacuate the object and wait for the assistance of a fire department.
In case you need any additional information on safety measurements or would like to take a look at our huge variety of high-end home appliance, visit the number one of online appliance retailers. We have every appliance your home needs.
