Crimped Cords And Electrical Shorts Can Lead To Fire Damage In West Hills

12/22/2017 (Permalink)

Fires can originate anywhere and at any time in your home.

Fire Caused By Crimped Cords And Electrical Shorts

Electricity plays such a significant role in our daily lives, including leisurely activities at home and using different machines at work and school. Without electricity to run these items for us, West Hills would not feel the same to us. However, we take the use of these powered items for granted and rarely think about the dangers of electrical power.

When using items like curling irons, computer printers, or the dishwasher in your West Hills home, the idea that those items could cause fire damage probably crosses your mind only on rare occasions. However, using these items when cords show visible damage can quickly cause problems.

Another aspect of electricity that causes problems is when cords become twisted and tangled while stored away in a drawer. Tangling like this can produce breaks in the wiring inside. While it may seem to work fine at providing electricity to your appliance, these minor breaks can soon become hotter than usual. Melted cords can pose shock hazards in addition to the fire hazard they create.

Electrical shorts inside appliances and within wall outlets can create fires. You should never try to extinguish this type of fire by using water as the electricity can travel to you and cause serious injuries. If an appliance begins smoking, melting, or burning, unplugging it by firmly grasping the plug and removing it from the wall can save your home.

If an outlet starts to smoke and produces flames, you need to shut off the main electrical breaker as quickly as possible. This should extinguish the fire, but if materials inside the wall have caught fire, it might continue burning. This situation requires a call to the local fire department. Making sure your cords can also bear the electrical load pulled can help prevent this situation in the first place.

Fires can originate anywhere and at any time in your home. Fire damage should always receive professional mitigation, so future fire risks decrease. SERVPRO of Canoga Park / West Hills can help you restore your home after any fire. Contact us at (818) 998-1500 to reach our 24-hour service, every day of the year.

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