Protect Your House from an Electrical Fire
Rain or shine, people spend a lot of time indoors, whether it’s at work or at home. And when it’s raining outside or when it’s the winter, we use more electricity because we’re indoors. After all, electricity is used to heat and cool our homes, to light our homes, to watch TV, to charge our devices, play video games, refrigerate our food, use the microwave, wash our clothes, and so on.
Electricity, as present as it may be in virtually every aspect of our lives, it’s a serious danger that a lot of people never really think about. Because we use it so much, it’s easy to forget all about its risk of causing a deadly electrical fire.
What to Do In Case of an Electrical Fire
Everyone needs to understand the risks associated with electricity, especially as it pertains to electric shock and electrical fires. It’s important that people know what to do in case an electrical fire does start because they are not the same as traditional fires that are started by candles, matches and burning cigarettes.
What to do if an electrical fire starts in your home:
- If you know which device is causing the electrical fire, unplug it right away if you can safely reach the cord.
- Small electrical fires can be put out with baking soda.
- Small electrical fires can be put out by depriving them of their oxygen source. You can do this by putting clothing or a heavy blanket on it if it’s safe.
- Do NOT pour water over an electrical fire. Why? Because, water naturally conducts electricity and when people throw water on electrical fires, they can be electrocuted or shocked. Additionally, water can make an electrical fire spread by conducting electricity to other places in the room, such as flammable curtains and couches.
- Make sure you have a fire extinguisher that’s designed for Class C fires; electrical fires are Class C. Most residential fire extinguishers are labeled ABC, but it’s critical to verify that an extinguisher is meant to put out Class C fires before purchase.
If you cannot extinguish an electrical fire, GET OUT of the house and make sure all of your family members and pets are removed from the house immediately. Close the door so the fire can be contained and call 911 after you’ve gotten a safe distance away from the fire. Do NOT go back into the house until after the firefighters have told you it’s safe to do so.
For all of your residential and commercial electrical needs, contact us to schedule a service call with an Atlanta electrical contractor.