Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 Review: Foam Cannon, Brushes and a 20-Ft Hose

My Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 review has a short verdict: buy this corded washer if you want a foam cannon bottle and two brushes already in the box, and skip it if you need more than a 20 ft hose. Sun Joe prints it as a 13 amp machine with a GFCI built into the plug, so the outlet and the water tap decide where it works. I check every machine for the farm yard the way I check the pump head of my drip system, starting with what feeds it: the hose, the cord and the water supply. Below I cover the kit, the manual’s safety steps, setup, the foam cannon, storage and who should pass.

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Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 Review: Verdict and Who It Suits

I recommend the SPX3000-XT1 to a homeowner with an outlet near the work who wants a mid-range corded washer with the foam cannon bottle and brushes included. Skip it if the job sits far from an outlet, because Sun Joe’s manual does not recommend an extension cord and caps the combined cord length at 60 ft. According to Sun Joe it is a 120 V washer with a 13 amp motor and a net weight of 28.4 lb, and it needs a garden hose and an outlet every time you use it. For a wider look, my roundup of pressure washers for home use sets corded and battery models side by side.

• Who it is for: a household that wants one box with the nozzles, foam cannon bottle and brushes in it.
• What it does best: it puts the foam cannon and brushes in one box.
• Main trade-off: the cord and hose set the reach, and Sun Joe advises against an extension cord.

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What the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 XTREAM Kit Includes and What It Leaves Out

The carton list in Sun Joe’s manual is long for a corded washer. It names the washer, a transport handle, the trigger gun, a stainless steel lance, four Quick-Connect nozzles, a detergent bottle with foam cannon, a wheel and rim brush, a utility bristle brush and a transfer adapter. The rest is hardware and storage: screws, a spray wand protector, a trigger gun holder, a hose holder, a needle clean-out tool, the high-pressure hose and a garden hose adapter with two sealing rings.

Three things are not in the box. Detergent is not supplied, Sun Joe recommends a pump protector but does not include one, and there is no surface cleaner. The SPX3000 is a different machine with its own manual, two onboard detergent tanks and a soap nozzle, so I treat the two as separate buys. I go through the two onboard detergent tanks of that other machine in my Sun Joe SPX3000 review.

Specifications as Sun Joe Prints Them

Two rows deserve a close look before you buy: the pressure and flow ratings, which Sun Joe prints with a stated basis, and the hose and cord lengths, which set your reach. The Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 XTREAM pressure washer carries Sun Joe’s own ratings, so each figure below comes with its stated basis.

These are Sun Joe’s ratings for this model on Sun Joe’s own bases. I read them as the machine’s limits and never as targets: the manual and the nozzle and detergent labels decide how you use it.

Corded Safety With the Safe-State Box, GFCI and Cord

A pressure washer needs a safety layer for the machine and another for the job, and Sun Joe’s own warnings come before anything I write here. I put the full order in one box and every later step in this review points back to it.

The box tells you to follow your manual’s order where it differs, and Sun Joe’s order differs: it puts the power first. It says to switch the washer off and unplug it, turn off the water supply, hold the trigger to release the water pressure, disconnect the garden hose and the high-pressure hose at the gun, then release the trigger and engage the lock. Its maintenance page adds that you disconnect the plug before you work on the washer. For this model, follow that order and use the box as the checklist of what must be done before any hands-on step.

Read the manual before you connect water or power, and follow it. Its warnings, its operator rules and its steps for your exact model come before anything in this article. Sun Joe says the washer is not for children or untrained people, and not for anyone tired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Never point the spray at yourself, another person, a pet or any part of the body. Keep your hands and feet away from the nozzle and the stream. Get medical care without delay for a spray wound, even if it looks minor at first. Tell the clinician that a pressure washer caused the injury.

Case reports describe a washer jet injecting water into a hand and leading to infection or compartment syndrome (1), and a finger with no fracture on X-ray that still needed emergency surgery (2). Reviews of injection injuries from other high-pressure tools show the same lesson: a small wound can hide a serious injury (3).

Sun Joe says the same in its own words: the jet must not be directed at persons, pets, live electrical equipment or the appliance itself, and in case of skin penetration you seek medical aid immediately. Its symbol table asks bystanders to keep at least 49 ft (15 m) away.

Use the electrical supply and the GFCI protection your manual specifies, and test the GFCI before use according to its instructions. Sun Joe builds the GFCI into the power cord plug, and the manual tells you to press the Reset button until the power light comes on when you first plug in. If the washer trips a GFCI or a circuit breaker while you use it, stop using it and have a qualified repair person examine it before you use it again; do not keep resetting it and carry on.

Never cut or splice a power cord or an extension cord, and do not use a damaged cord or plug. Sun Joe says to keep power cord connections dry and off the ground, and it rates the washer for 120 V at 60 Hz. Sun Joe describes the plug as polarized and the washer as double insulated, and it forbids any change to the plug, the cord receptacle or the cord plug. Wear closed, rubber-soled footwear that gives some electrical insulation, plus any additional footwear the manual requires; footwear does not replace GFCI protection or the other electrical precautions.

Keep every plug and cord connection dry, out of standing water and away from runoff and the area you are washing, and keep the spray away from outlets, wiring and electrical equipment. Sun Joe adds that you never touch the washer or its plug with wet hands or while standing in water. The manual does not recommend an extension cord at all. Use one only if your manual permits it, and then only the type and length it names: Sun Joe allows outdoor-rated cords of 14 gauge or heavier, no longer than 25 ft, with a combined cord length of no more than 60 ft and watertight plug and socket.

Keep children, pets and other people away from the work area while the machine runs, and never let a child use the machine. Store the washer where children cannot reach it. Call 911 for a fire or immediate danger.

Assembly and the First Hose, Cord and Gun Checks

Before you connect or disconnect a hose, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above. The assembly itself is short, and the manual puts the upright unit together in a fixed order.

The transport handle goes on with four large screws, and the hose holder and spray wand protector take the small ones. I lay the parts out on the concrete pad in front of the machinery shed before I start, because the trigger gun holder slides into place and the lance has to lock into the gun. The manual says to fit the stainless steel lance into the gun and rotate the collar until the two parts are completely locked, and I check that lock before any water goes near the machine.

Sun Joe states that the machine is not suitable for connection to the potable water mains and that water that has flowed through backflow preventers is considered non-potable, so read that line in the manual before you choose a water supply; I describe no workaround. The garden hose adapter takes the female coupler with its two sealing rings, and Sun Joe wants a reinforced garden hose with an internal diameter of at least 1/2 in. (13 mm), a supply at least equal to the washer’s delivery capacity and intake water no hotter than 104 F (40 C). Coming from a pump head with a 150-mesh disc filter, the first thing I looked for was the inlet water filter, and the manual lists checking and cleaning it with the pre-filter.

Inspect the high-pressure hose, the spray gun and every fitting before each use, as your manual describes, and do not use a damaged part. Replace a damaged high-pressure hose; never repair or patch it. Sun Joe says the same: examine hoses regularly, replace them if damaged and do not attempt to mend one.

The 20 ft steel-reinforced hose and the 35 ft cord stow on the hose holder and the cord holder, and there is no hose reel. That suits a farm yard where I coil both by hand, but it means a tidy routine matters more than on a washer with a reel.

Start-Up, the Trigger Lock and Changing Nozzles

Protective equipment goes on before the machine starts. Wear safety glasses or goggles and closed footwear when you operate the washer, and put them on before you start; where your manual requires goggles, side shields or a face shield, that requirement replaces the minimum here. Follow the manual’s additional protective-equipment requirements, including hearing protection where the manual requires it, and the detergent label’s requirements when you handle detergent. Keep your hands and feet away from the spray. Protective equipment does not make contact with the stream safe.

The manual asks for safety glasses and adds safety footwear, snug-fitting clothing, protective gloves, hearing and head protection, and it recommends non-slip footwear outdoors. Its symbol table shows eye and hearing protection, gloves and non-slip footwear. Doctors have reported open-eye injuries with poor final vision after pressure washer use (4), which is why I treat the glasses as the first item and not an extra.

Before you inspect parts or connect hoses, complete the applicable stop and make-safe steps in the safe-state box. Connect the hoses and turn on the water before you start the machine, and purge and start it in the order your manual specifies. Sun Joe’s order is: turn the water tap fully on, set the safety lock as the manual’s figure shows, press the trigger for a few seconds until the water flow is steady, which lets air escape and discharges any residual pressure in the hose, engage the safety lock and then switch the washer on. The manual warns that running the pump without water damages it and voids the warranty.

Engage the trigger lock on the spray gun each time you stop spraying and before you set the gun down. Before you walk away, for any length of time, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above. Disengage the lock only for controlled spraying or for the manual’s pressure-relief procedure, with the gun pointed in a safe direction. Per Sun Joe, with the lock on, the spray gun cannot be operated. Its manual tells you to lock the gun before a nozzle change, on a break and at shutdown. The lock is a lever you push up until it clicks into the slot, and I listen for that click each time before I let go of the gun.

The manual says to keep proper footing and balance at all times, to avoid slipping or falling, and to keep the machine on a stable, flat surface because a sudden overturn can cause injury. Start the stream away from your feet and from anyone else, and never swing the gun toward people or pets as you turn.

The Total Stop System is Sun Joe’s name for the pump protection: when the trigger is released, water stops flowing through the pump, and the system then turns the motor off automatically to protect the pump from overheating. I read that as a feature of the machine, and I still engage the lock.

Changing a Nozzle

Before you do this, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above. Use only the nozzles and accessories your manual permits, following its instructions for the job. Never direct any nozzle at skin, people or animals.

The manual’s steps are to turn the washer off, turn the water off, pull the trigger to release the water pressure, engage the safety lock and then snap the nozzle onto the Quick-Connect collar until it clicks. It says never to change nozzles without locking the safety lock on the trigger handle.

The four nozzles are the 0, 15, 25 and 40 degree tips, and they park in the onboard nozzle storage. Pulling the collar back releases a tip, and I feel for the click on a new one before I trust it. The manual describes what each nozzle suits, and I send you to that text and to the care instructions of the surface or finish maker. Where they prohibit pressure washing, do not use a different nozzle or setting as a workaround.

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The Foam Cannon Bottle and the Brush Attachments

Filling the bottle, snapping it onto the lance and swapping the lance for a brush are hands-on steps. Before you do this, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above.

Before you add detergent or connect or adjust a detergent accessory, complete the applicable stop and make-safe steps in the safe-state box. Use only the detergents your manual allows, through the detergent system the manual describes, and read the detergent label before you open it. Wear the protective equipment the detergent label requires, and avoid contact of detergent with your eyes and skin. Do not run a detergent that your manual does not name through the pump.

The foam cannon bottle holds 33.8 fl oz, and Sun Joe’s steps are to take out the cap and the suction tube, fill the bottle with a detergent designed specifically for pressure washers, recap it and snap it onto the lance collar. The foam-volume knob sets the foam. I like that the machine has no onboard tank to forget about, because the manual says to empty the cannon before storage, and a bottle on the lance is easy to see. Once the bottle is on, I set the knob before I pull the trigger. For the family car, my roundup of pressure washers for cars picks models for home car washing.

The manual is blunt about what stays out of the pump: household detergents, acids, alkaline solutions, bleaches, solvents, flammable material and industrial-grade solutions. If contact with detergent occurs, Sun Joe says to rinse with an abundance of clean water. If someone swallows a cleaning product or gets it in the eyes, follow the label’s first-aid section and call Poison Control (America’s Poison Centers) at 1-800-222-1222.

Before you wash, plan how to keep wash water, detergent and debris out of streets, storm drains, ditches and streams, because a storm drain carries what enters it to local waters without treatment. Check with your city or county stormwater office about collecting and disposing of the wash water for the job. Send wash water to landscaping only where local rules and the detergent label permit it and the soil can absorb it without runoff or contamination. Otherwise contain and collect it for an approved disposal route.

Fitting the Brushes

The brushes need the transfer adapter, so the sequence matters. Before you do this, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above.

Sun Joe’s steps are to remove the lance by twisting it counterclockwise, fit the transfer adapter into the gun and twist it clockwise, then align the brush tabs with the adapter and twist counterclockwise to lock. The manual says the brush attachments cannot be attached to the spray gun without the transfer adapter. I like that the kit has both a wheel and rim brush and a utility bristle brush, and I keep the adapter with the brushes in the shed so it does not go missing. What either brush suits depends on the surface and its maker’s instructions.

Maintenance, Storage and Freezing

The filter, the nozzle and the pump all need hands-on work before you store the washer for the season. Before you do this, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above.

Before you clean the machine, check or clean the inlet filter, or do any other maintenance, complete the stop and make-safe steps in the safe-state box. Do the maintenance your manual describes, in the order it describes it, and do not use a part or an accessory the maker does not name. Sun Joe’s list is short: check and clean the inlet water filter and pre-filter, clean the nozzle with the needle clean-out tool, and back flush water through the nozzle and lance.

A nozzle that gives a weak, uneven or pulsing stream may be blocked. Complete the stop and make-safe steps in the safe-state box, then clear the nozzle only with the tool and the method your manual describes. Never look into the nozzle or point it at anyone to check it. A stream that pulses, a leak at a fitting or a hose that bulges means stop, work through the box, inspect, and start again only on the manual’s conditions.

Before you store the pressure washer, complete the stop and make-safe steps in the safe-state box. Drain and store it as your manual directs, in a place the manual allows and away from children.

Sun Joe says to empty water from all hoses, the pump and the foam cannon before storage, to keep the washer at a temperature not below 32 F (0 C) and never to store it outdoors. The manual says the pump can suffer permanent damage if it freezes and that freeze damage is not covered by the warranty. It recommends a pump protector for winter storage, which is not in the box.

In my unheated machinery shed a cold snap is plausible, so I plan to carry the washer to a room that stays above freezing after the draining steps are done, and I coil the 20 ft hose and 35 ft cord on their holders. The routine costs nothing.

Who Should Skip the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1

This washer is a good fit for a narrow job list and a poor one for large or distant work. I name both groups so you can decide in a minute.

• You have a weatherproof outlet and a hose tap close to the work area.
• You want the foam cannon bottle and both brushes included.
• You can store the washer indoors at a temperature above freezing, as the manual requires.
• You want a 20 ft steel-reinforced hose and a 35 ft GFCI cord and do not mind coiling them by hand.

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Skip it in these cases:

• The work area is far from an outlet and you would need a long extension cord, which Sun Joe does not recommend.
• You need onboard detergent tanks or a soap nozzle, because this kit has neither.
• You have no indoor space that stays above freezing, because the manual says never to store it outdoors.
• You buy from a seller Sun Joe does not authorize, because the warranty excludes products from unauthorized sellers.

The Drawbacks That Matter

The 20 ft hose and the 35 ft cord are the main compromise, and Sun Joe’s extension cord limits leave little room to extend the reach. Assembly takes screws, holders, a handle and a wand protector, so plan a short setup, and the washer weighs 28.4 lb net, carried by the transport handle or rolled on its two wheels. My portable pressure washer roundup compares cordless and corded picks.

The detergent system is only the foam cannon bottle, and the manual forbids a long list of chemicals in the unit. The thermal sensor can also stop the machine: the manual says to leave it for 5 minutes to cool down, and it restarts after a few minutes. Sun Joe states the operating temperature range as 32 F to 104 F and says never to connect the washer to a hot water supply.

How the SPX3000-XT1 Compares With Alternatives

Two corded washers sit next to it in the Best Electric roundup, and the differences are in the manuals. I pick by the printed difference and nothing else.

Sun Joe SPX3000

The Sun Joe SPX3000 Corded Electric Pressure Washer is a separate model with a 14.5 amp motor, a 20 ft hose and a 35 ft cord, five nozzles including a soap nozzle and two removable onboard detergent tanks with a selector dial. Pick it if you want the detergent held on the washer and applied through the soap nozzle. Pick the XT1 if you prefer the foam cannon bottle and the two brushes. The kit, figures and safety rules of the two Sun Joe models sit side by side in my SPX3000 against the SPX3000-XT1 comparison.

Westinghouse ePX3100

The Westinghouse ePX3100 Corded Electric Pressure Washer is a corded washer with an onboard soap tank used through a soap nozzle, five nozzles including a turbo nozzle and a Class A GFCI in the plug, according to Westinghouse. Its manual lists one year of parts and labor, two years of parts, and a third year of certain replacements at Westinghouse’s discretion. Pick it if you want an onboard soap tank, and pick the XT1 for the foam cannon kit.

Common Problems and How to Prevent Them

Most trouble with a corded washer starts with water, power or the pump, and the manual covers each. Anything that involves a hose, a nozzle or the pump follows the safe-state box first.

• The washer stops by itself: Sun Joe’s thermal sensor can stop the machine; leave it for 5 minutes to cool down, then restart as the manual directs.
• The GFCI trips: stop using the washer and have a qualified repair person examine it before you use it again.
• No water flow: the pump must not run dry. Before you do this, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above. Then check the tap, the garden hose and the inlet filter.
• A weak or pulsing stream: treat it as a possible blockage. Before you do this, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above. Then clear it only with the tool and method the manual describes.
• Cold damage: Before you do this, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above. Then drain the washer as the manual directs and store it indoors, because freeze damage is not covered.

My Final Verdict on the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1

I recommend the SPX3000-XT1 to a household with an outlet and a tap near the work, and I tell anyone with a long reach to skip it. Its manual is clear on the GFCI, the cord limits and storage, which counts for a washer that runs on mains power beside water. That is where my Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 review lands: a mid-range corded washer I recommend for a short, close job list and one I tell others to skip for anything far from the house. My electric pressure washer roundup compares nine corded models by their printed specs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1?

The Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 is a corded electric pressure washer with a 13 amp motor, a GFCI built into the power cord plug and a 20 ft steel-reinforced high-pressure hose. Sun Joe sells it as a kit with four Quick-Connect nozzles, a foam cannon bottle, two brush attachments and a 35 ft power cord.

What comes in the box with the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1?

The Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 box holds the washer, a trigger gun, a stainless steel lance, four nozzles, a foam cannon bottle, two brushes and a transfer adapter. It also includes the high-pressure hose, a garden hose adapter, a needle clean-out tool and holders for the hose, the gun and the nozzles.

Which brush attachments come with the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1?

The Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 comes with a wheel and rim brush and a utility bristle brush, and Sun Joe’s manual says neither one attaches to the spray gun without the transfer adapter in the box. Before you fit or change a brush, complete the stop and make-safe steps for your pressure washer in the safe-state box above.

How long is the hose on the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1?

The hose on the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 is a steel-reinforced high-pressure hose that Sun Joe prints as 20 ft (6 m), and it stores on a hose holder on the body with no hose reel. The power cord is a separate 35 ft GFCI-protected cord, and the manual does not recommend an extension cord.

What is the warranty on the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1?

The warranty on the Sun Joe SPX3000-XT1 is two years from the date of purchase for ordinary household use, according to the customer promise in Sun Joe’s manual. It does not cover commercial or rental use, products bought from unauthorized sellers or freeze damage, and it asks for proof of purchase.

References

1. Funato N, Sugizaki Y, Ri Y, Ichibayashi R. High-pressure injection damage caused by a high-pressure washer. Cureus. 2024;16(1):e52498. doi:10.7759/cureus.52498
2. Choi JH, Choi SY, Hwang JH, Kim KS, Lee SY. Finger compartment syndrome due to a high-pressure washer injury: a case report. World J Clin Cases. 2023;11(13):3017-3021. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v11.i13.3017
3. Hogan CJ, Ruland RT. High-pressure injection injuries to the upper extremity: a review of the literature. J Orthop Trauma. 2006;20(7):503-511. doi:10.1097/00005131-200608000-00010
4. Placide J, Yang MY, Gross AW, Crowell EL. Case series: traumatic ocular lacerations secondary to pressure washers. Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep. 2022;27:101612. doi:10.1016/j.ajoc.2022.101612

Safety Note: Read your pressure washer’s manual before you connect water or power, and follow it. Never point the spray at yourself, another person, a pet or any part of the body. Keep hands and feet away from the nozzle and stream. Get medical care without delay for a spray wound, even if it looks minor at first. Tell the clinician that a pressure washer caused the injury. Wear safety glasses or goggles and closed footwear before operating the washer, plus any additional protection required by the manual and the detergent label. Follow the manual’s instructions for the trigger lock, grip, footing and recoil, and engage the trigger lock whenever you stop spraying. Use only the nozzles, accessories and detergents the manual permits, and never point any nozzle at skin, people or animals. Do not perform a task at height without instructions expressly permitting the equipment and method in the exact manual. Gas models: operate outdoors, never inside a building or a partly enclosed space. Keep the engine at least 20 feet from any window, door or vent, following CDC’s pressure washer guidance and any stricter manual requirement. Exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which cannot be seen or smelled and can kill. Opening doors or windows does not make indoor operation safe. Refuel only with the engine off and cool, following the manual. Corded models: use the manual’s specified electrical supply and GFCI protection, and test the GFCI before use according to its instructions. After an operating GFCI or breaker trip, do not reuse the washer until a qualified repair person has examined it. Where the washer has a grounding prong, connect it to a properly grounded receptacle and never remove the prong. Wear closed, rubber-soled footwear that provides some electrical insulation, plus any additional footwear required by the manual; footwear does not replace GFCI protection or the other electrical precautions. Never cut or splice cords. Use an extension cord only as the manual permits. Keep connections dry and away from runoff, standing water and the washing area, and keep spray away from electrical equipment. Battery models: use only the battery and charger the maker specifies for your exact model. Emergency first: if you notice an unusual odor, a change in color, too much heat, a change in shape, leaking or odd noises from a lithium-ion battery, stop using the washer and follow your battery manual’s emergency instructions. Otherwise, complete the applicable stop and make-safe procedure before hose, nozzle, wand or accessory work, clearing a blockage, cleaning, maintenance, refueling, checking oil, adding detergent, battery changes or charging, draining, moving, transporting, storing or leaving the washer. Follow your exact manual’s procedure and order. Release the trigger and engage its lock. Gas: switch the engine off and wait for it to stop; disconnect the spark plug wire before service as the manual directs, and let hot parts cool before refueling, storage or contact. Corded: switch off and unplug by the plug with dry hands. Battery: switch off, remove a removable battery as the manual directs and keep it away while working; for a built-in battery, follow the manual’s isolation procedure and do not open the battery compartment. Complete the manual’s water-supply shutdown and pressure-relief steps: point the gun in a safe direction at a permitted discharge location, disengage the trigger lock, squeeze the trigger as directed to relieve pressure, then reengage the lock. Do not disconnect hoses or change nozzles until pressure is relieved. If pressure cannot be relieved by the prescribed procedure, obtain service without loosening fittings. Refit and inspect parts before restoring water or power. Replace a damaged high-pressure hose; never repair or patch it. Before you wash, plan how to keep wash water, detergent and debris out of streets, storm drains, ditches and streams, and check with your city or county stormwater office about collection and disposal. Send wash water to landscaping only where local rules and the detergent label permit it and the soil can absorb it without runoff or contamination. Keep children and pets away, and never let a child use the machine. Drain and store the washer as its manual directs. For exposure to a cleaning product, follow the label’s first-aid instructions and call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 for a fire or immediate danger.