Home safety tips

[harrybarbon]

Last Monday night I turned on my dishwasher before going to bed, my usual practice. But on an impulse I decided to do some research on my computer. About 30 minutes later I heard a couple of muffled sounds like close fireworks going off outside my home at 12.40 am that disturbed me. I went out to check, nothing to be seen. Back inside another 2 similar bangs which I could not locate. Then I saw smoke coming from under the kitchen bench behind the dishwasher. I quickly went outside to find my fire extinquisher from my Mack truck parts, it did not work. The electric power circuit breaker did not cut the power for about another 3-5 minutes. I called 000 for the Fire Rescue, they arrived in 10 minutes by which time thick smoke was filling the kitchen and throughout my home. Luckily the Fireys got to the smouldering in time to stop the fire developing. I barely had time to call 000 and grab a few things I could think of, my phone, computer and jacket and pants on a hanger that was on a door. I left my wallet inside not thinking. I moved my car onto the street in case the fire got to it. I called my Labrador to follow me and I put her in the car in safety. We never expect this to happen to us!!!! On the spur of the moment we act purely on instinct. 

Extremely lucky. Had I gone to bed, even with the smoke alarm with deep 1st hour of sleep it would have been too late to save my home etc. The smoke grew and spread so quickly, now I understand what happens to people, especially if they are upstairs and fires are downstairs. Also my house is 1949 build, the plaster walls that is behind the dishwasher, are the old horses hair solid plaster, so it does not burn quickly. If it was the current dry wall paper type plaster, then it would have burned in quick time and the house would have been totaled. The fireys say maximum time is 15 minutes to get to the fire out before it spreads to burn the whole house.

The dishwasher had an electric shortage and the circuit breaker did not cut the power instantly. The smell inside is sickening from the scorched plastic of the dishwasher and cabinets.

The insurance company is doing their damage assessment this week, so now time and patience to repair. I am so grateful to be okay and to stay with my lovely lady.

My tips are never go to bed or leave the house with any appliances operating except the fridge, have the latest and best electric power circuit breaker unit and a working extinquisher. And even turn power connections off at the power points because of power surges.

[70mackMB]

Harry, Glad to hear that you are fine. What ever damage that was done to the house can be repaired.    .....Hippy 

[Brocky]

Sorry to hear about the house, But as said everything will work out.. Has your wife been bugging you about remodeling the kitchen??????? 

[HarryS]

Sorry to hear about your scary incident. I have the same habit of turning on the dishwasher late in the evening. I have thought of the "what if" but now it's time to change that habit. Glad things weren't any worse and hopefully you can get things repaired and back to normal.

[tjc transport]

scary indeed, but luckily you made it out. my bad habit is setting the gas fired clothes dryer for 45-60 minutes and going to bed. 

i have 4 smoke detectors and 2 co2 detectors in the house, 3 smoke and a co2 downstairs,, and 1 smoke and a co2 in the upstairs bedroom.

i have 20 amp wire with 15 amp outlets and breakers through out the house, with only 4 outlets per circuit instead of the 6 per circuit allowed. 

i was fire department for 9 years before my accident, and dad was fire marshal for 50 years. 

[other dog]

Wow, that's some scary sh- uh, stuff! Glad there was no major damage done, could have easily turned into a disaster!

[GA_Dave]

That was close, glad there were no injuries. 

[mrsmackpaul]

Well, be blowed, unlike the breaker that didn't trip

Was it a RCD, RCBO or a CB type of breaker that didn't trip ?

Depending on the types of circuit protection as to the types of faults that trip the breakers

Rewirable fuses are as basic as you can get and all have to be removed when any electrical work is done in Australia 

Smoke alarms are something I don't use at all and generally pull them out of the house 

Proper circuit design and installation with correct size circuit protection are gunna save you a lot more head ache

Problem is, hardly any electricians actually do this and use the "rule of thumb" method that works most times 

Anyway, the main thing is your safe

There is substitute for a good electrician, and you only get what you pay for as well

Everyone wants to screw people on the price and then cry fowl when they get a less than desirable result 

Stay safe out there 

 

Paul