What IF? Sometimes, quick thinking can save you from disaster, or at least a lot of time and trouble.
What To Do If An Appliance Sparks or Smokes
Avoid touching the appliance itself, but unplug it immediately (or cut the power if it’s controlled by a switch). If there is no other way to turn off the appliance, disable the power feeding the circuit at your breaker box. Once the item has cooled off completely, have it serviced by the appropriate professional.
If the appliance catches fire, don’t try to put it out with water! If you can safely put out the fire with an extinguisher rated for electrical fires, great. If you have one shred of doubt, don’t even try. Whether you can put the fire out or not, you must immediately get everyone out of the house and call the fire department when you have reached a safe place. Why? The wiring in your walls may have also caught fire and even if you managed to put out the blazing appliance, you may have a fire smoldering inside your wall. Don’t return home until the fire department tells you that it’s safe to do so.
What To Do If An Appliance Plug Sparks or Smokes
Cut off the power to the outlet immediately. Once you have disabled the outlet, unplug the device and let it sit until it has cooled off. Check your breaker box for signs of a blown fuse or tripped breaker and reset/replace if necessary. Inspect both the appliance’s cord and its plug. If either appears to be damaged, it will need replacement. If they appear fine, the problem may be your outlet and you may need to consider replacing the outlet itself.
What To Do If A Light Bulb Breaks Off In A Socket
Okay, so this isn’t exactly a major emergency, but it does create a dangerous situation that can easily be overcome. Unplug the lamp or turn off the switch to the installed fixture and put on safety goggles, particularly if the bulb is in an overhead receptacle. Using a piece of completely dry bar soap, carefully push one end of the bar against the edges of the broken bulb and twist it free. Discard soap.