How to Put Out an Electrical Fire: Step-by-Step Guide (+ Things Not To Do)

Causing an electrical fire in your electrical system of the house, office, or anywhere near you would be the biggest disaster a person would want to have. There are many ways by which your electrical system can cause an electrical fire. This article will guide you about what causes an electrical fire and when the electrical fire is caused, how to put it off, which will help you save your life at that moment.

How to put out an electrical fire?

The following are some ways that can help you to put off an electrical fire:

Turn off the main panel.
Using baking soda.
Not to use water.
Cut off the oxygen source.
Have a fire extinguisher.

Turn off the main panel:

In case of an electrical fire, the first step is to disconnect the electricity from the source as it will help you to reduce the risk of getting more. There will be some situations of not being able to unplug the appliance due to which the electrical fire is caused at that time. What should you do?

In order you are not able to unplug the appliance then you should turn off the main panel of the electrical system that gives power to your house.

Using baking soda:

In case of an electrical fire due to the overloading of the appliances the other option is to use the baking soda and set the fire off. The first step in case of an electrical fire is to unplug the power source and then put some amount of baking soda on the flames of the fire. There may be a lot of people who don’t know that baking soda contains the chemical compound sodium bicarbonate which is also available in class C fire extinguishers. For example, if a toaster catches the fire then, in that case, you should use the baking soda that puts the fire off.

Not to use water:

There are many people who don’t know what to do and because of their impulsiveness, they use the water to turn an electrical fire off which is riskier. It will not solve the problem but will make more critical situations because water is a good conductor of electricity. You should use the water in the fire which is not caused due to electrical system failure.

Cut off the oxygen source:

You should keep a fire extinguisher in your home and you can use it in the case of an electrical fire. fire extinguishers are available in many types and before using them you should make sure that it is labeled A, B, and C, and always a fire extinguisher with a type C.

Common causes of an electrical fire:

The following are some common causes of an electrical fire:

Faulty appliances.
Overloading.
Light fixture.
Outdated wiring.
Poor maintenance.
Portable heaters.
Old appliances.

Faulty appliances:

The mostly observed cause of an electrical fire is faulty outlets and old appliances. So be sure not to use these types of appliances and replace them as soon as possible. To protect against an electrical fire the appliances have a prong to use in them to handle the additional electricity load.

Overloading:

The overloading is caused if you keep on plugging multiple appliances and due to this it will have excessive power load on a single extension cord which the cord can not bear which causes the risk of catching an electric fire. You should always take the help of an electrician in order to install an additional outlet.

Light fixtures:

You need to be very careful in the case of a light fixture and if you are going to install a bulb it should not be of high wattage as it will be risky to cause an electric fire. So you need to check all the guidelines of the light pictures and the bulb properly. Make sure not to put any cloth or paper over the fixture as it will increase the risk of causing a fire.

Outdated wiring:

If you are living in a home that has old and Outdated wiring then it is highly not possible to manage the load of electrical appliances such as the television, microwave, washing machine, heater, air conditioner, and refrigerator which are commonly used nowadays. Due to this they may get heated up and will cause an electric fire. The following are some signs which you can consider for indicating outdated wiring:

If you are having any shock on touching the appliances or you see any spark from the appliance.
An overloaded circuit breaker.
If the lights are continuously flickering it indicates that the circuit is outdated.
Having a power outage indicates a sign of outdated wiring.
Causing a burning smell also indicates that you need to change the wiring.

Poor maintenance:

You need to maintain your electrical wiring to avoid any electrical fire. If there is anywhere exposed on the floor or wall which may cause you to shock or you see a spark around it you need to call an electrician. So for maintaining the electrical wiring and keeping your home safe you need to do monthly or yearly maintenance.

How to prevent an electrical fire?

The following are some ways by which you can prevent to cause an electrical fire:

You can prevent an electrical fire when you inspect the home by Consulting an electrician to make sure that it does meet all the requirements of home safety according to the NEC.
Stop overloading the outlets by using any sort of extension cord, especially with the appliances like air conditioners and heaters.
Always take seriously having any sign which may indicate you caused an electric fire such as:
- Buzzing sound.
- Tripping of a circuit breaker.
- Flickering lights.

You need to check the buyers in case any wear and tear happen because of their use of them. A long time ago.
You can prevent a big electrical fire if you immediately call an electrician in case of any smoke or smell which is similar to burning from the outlet, appliance, plug, or any cord.

Conclusion:

We can conclude you can put off an electrical fire not just by using the fire extinguisher as there are various methods to put off an electrical fire. Make sure if all these methods do not work call an electrician or dial 911 to save your home and your life.

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Rick Costa

Hi, My Name is Rick Costa and I welcome you to my Blog, HousElectric.
Talking about the Website, I was Very Fond of Electronics from a very small age and my love for it grew as time passed. I then Opted for Electronics as a subject in the College along with Research on my own.
I then decided to share my Gathered Knowledge with you guys, So that it can help you too for Making Decisions and Solving Problems.