How to Tackle Electrical Emergencies like a Pro | A Complete Guide by Electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC

1/24/2019

Consider yourself sitting in your room. Suddenly, you notice thick black smoke coming in from the space beneath your closed bedroom door. You open the door and see your kitchen counter covered in flames. Cause of this fire; your short-circuiting toaster! What would you do now? How will you save yourself and your family  from this fiery situation?

Electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC are here to help you out. We know exactly what to do in case of electrical emergencies. To keep yourself safe, you should look for signs of increased electrical fire risk in advance. Make sure that you have taken steps to prevent electrical fires and other emergency situations in your house.

Here are the best ways to tackle the most common electrical emergencies at home. However, you should make sure that you hire electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC to help you out and save you from future accidents.

Electrical Fire

According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), electrical faults at home cause 51,000 fires every year, about 500 deaths and more than 1400 injuries. With the increasing number of electrical devices, it is getting difficult to minimize the risks of electrical accidents. As number of appliances increases in your household, so does the load on your household’s electrical system. So, while purchasing a new device, you should keep in mind that you are increasing the risk of electrical hazards at home.

If your house wiring is overloaded with more current than it can bear, it will ultimately lead to an electrical fire. In case you face this situation, you should follow these steps to make sure you and your family remains unharmed.

• Cut Off power: The first step you should take is cutting off the source of an electrical fire. It will make sure that the root of the problem has been removed. Energy will not be available for the fire to grow and spread out. Therefore, you should immediately reach to your main power box and turn the main breaker in the OFF position.
• Use a Fire Extinguisher: If you have a fire extinguisher in your house, make sure you use it to get rid of the electric fire. If you have cut the power supply, you should use a water-based Class-A fire extinguisher. If you were unable to cut the power, you should use a Class-C fire extinguisher which is composed of dry elements.
• Use a Fire Blanket: If you don’t know how to use a fire extinguisher or don’t have one at home, use a fire blanket to kill the fire. You can do this only when you are able to cut the power off. If you aren’t able to smother the fire, you should call 911 and exit the house calmly.
• Repair Faulty Electrical Appliances: Do not try to use the electrical appliance that caused the fire to start. Look for reliable electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC to fix your faulty electrical appliances.

It’s good to know what you should do in case of an electrical fire but it’s even better to take steps to prevent such fires. Make sure your power outlets are not overloaded with a lot of appliances. It’s a good practice to hire electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC to replace two-prong plugs in your house with three-prong plugs. They are a safety feature for your house against electrical accidents. Moreover, make sure that you don’t use too many extension cords in your house. They are also one of the biggest reasons of electrical fires.

Electrocution

If you come in contact with a voltage source, charges will flow from the power source to the ground through your body. This happens because your body is a good conductor of electricity and has a low resistance to current. This situation results in an electric shock that damages your skin and other body organs. Electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC recommend following these steps in case one of your family members gets an electric shock.

• Do Not Come in Contact: The biggest mistake that you could possibly make is touching the person getting electrocuted. If you do so, you’ll get caught as well, serving as another path for the current to flow through.
• Cut Off Power: Immediately cut off power as soon as someone comes in contact with electricity. Turn off the main circuit breaker present in the main power box of your house.
• Try to Cut Contact: If you are unable to turn off the main circuit breaker due to any reason, you should try to cut contact between the person and the source of electricity using an object which does not conduct electricity. A wooden stick is one suitable object for this. Never use a damp or wet object for this purpose.
• Call an Electrician: After you’ve saved your family member, look for electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC to repair the faulty appliance or outlet which was the source of electrocution. You can also ask them to install safety switches in your house which immediately turn off in case of an emergency.

Power Outage

Power failures and blackouts occur because of a number of reasons. You should be well-prepared to face such situations without any problem. Electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC suggest that you should remain calm and follow these steps in case you face such situations.

• Identify the Source: Blackouts usually occur because of a tripped breaker. You should check your main power panel and, if you find a tripped breaker, you should look for electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC to fix it.
• Turn off All Appliances: To protect your appliances from a power surge, you should switch off all appliances. This will keep them safe from blowing up when the power is back.
• Emergency Kit: To avoid inconvenience, you should have a power outage emergency kit at home. In case of a storm, power outages are inevitable so you must be prepared to face the situation. Your kit must include emergency lights, a power bank for your mobile phone and heating options.

The Bottom Line

To keep yourself safe from electrical emergencies, you should schedule regular maintenance by hiring electricians in Myrtle Beach, SC. Mister Sparky provides the best electrical services to solve all your electrical problems. Click here to visit our website or call us at 843-213-6610 to find out why Mister Sparky is known as America’s On-Time Electrician.