From 2014 to 2018, electrical fires caused well over a billion dollars in property damages and 1,100 injuries per annum. Well-maintained wiring, outlets, and appliances are necessary for safe electrical usage. To stay safe, you should hire an electrician to look over your home’s wiring and conduct any necessary maintenance and repairs.
However, unless you live with or are an electrician, you won’t constantly have access to their services. Instead, you should develop safety habits while interacting with electricity to keep your home safe. Keep the following tips in mind to make sure you don’t end up a footnote on the National Fire Protection Association’s reports.
Cut the Power
This may bother everyone in your house, but it’s essential for your and everyone else’s safety. Whenever you’re dealing with anything that channels electricity or is electrically live, the safest precaution to take is to cut the power.
You may consider using some insulator, like rubber, to avoid bothering the rest of the household. However, chances are you’re not going to fully insulate your body, which can leave you vulnerable. On top of that, wearing too much insulation will probably be uncomfortable. Consequently, just stick to cutting the power.
Childproof Outlets
Children may as well be cats, since their curiosity can be fatal sometimes. A general tip when dealing with kids is to childproof any hazard in your home, not just electrical hazards. That being said, there are a few ways to prevent your kids from electrocuting themselves.
You could cover your outlet with a spring-loaded shutter. These normally require you to press down on the spring(s) to uncover the outlet. Alternatively, you could hide your unused outlets behind some heavy furniture. Moreover, avoid power strips, since those are on the ground and easily tampered with by children.
Overloading Outlets
Outlets are designed to output a certain amount of energy. However, outlets also often come with multiple slots, inviting you to plug in multiple appliances. This is fine, in moderation. If you’re installing a few low-wattage appliances or one high-wattage appliance, you’re not likely going to overload the outlet. However, if you’re installing multiple high-wattage appliances or a power strip, you may place too high a demand on your outlet.
When too many appliances are plugged into an outlet, there’s greater demand for power. The wires connecting to an outlet have limits to the amount of electrical current they can carry. If you exceed this limit, by, for example, plugging in too many appliances, you may overload the outlet. This will cause a short circuit and possibly even a fire.
Call an Electrician
The last tip is to call an electrician to evaluate your home’s electrical infrastructure. Ask the electrician to run a maintenance check on your lighting, appliances, and other parts of your electrical infrastructure. If there are any faults, have the electrician repair them. If you’re looking for an experienced home electrician, contact RHK Electrical. They’ve adjusted their service-delivery to accommodate for the pandemic and are offering electrician services in Cypress, TX. Get in touch and protect your family and home from electrical damage.