Winter is here!
If you haven’t checked your home for electrical safety during winters, now is the time.
Electrical fires are the leading type of home fires in the United States, especially during the cold season.
In fact, half of the incidents are caused due to heating equipment like space heaters.
We’ve designed an electrical safety checklist for winter to help you reduce the risk of electrical fire and keep your home protected:
Don’t use power strips for space heaters
Space heaters can help to keep your home nice and warm, but they can be one of the biggest fire hazards in your house.
Space heaters draw a huge amount of energy. You should never attempt to plug them in power strips as they can burn or even catch fire.
Your space heaters should always be plugged into a wall outlet and placed at least three feet away from furniture on a flat, level surface.
Avoid overloading electrical outlets
Most homeowners don’t realize this but their houses are one electrical spike away from catching electric fire. The common culprit: overloaded electrical outlets.
It’s critical that you avoid overloading electrical outlets. Always read the instructions manual when plugging in a new electrical appliance to your home’s electrical outlets.
If you’re using multiple high wattage equipment like space heaters and electric water heater, it’s important to use a surge protector to avoid short-circuit.
To remain on the safer side, it’s recommended to only plug single high-wattage equipment in each electrical outlet to avoid a fire hazard.
Minimize the use of extension cords
Extension cords may seem like an easy solution to plug in your appliances, but it’s important not to make a habit of using them for a long-term basis.
It’s important to minimize the usage of extension cords as well as keeping them out of reach of children and pets to avoid electric fire.
To avoid tripping accidents, some people hide extension cords behind their furniture or under rugs, which only increases the risk of short circuit and electric fire.
A good idea is to install more electrical outlets in your home so you don’t need to use extension cords at all.
Moreover, it will minimize the risks of overloading problems in electrical outlets and keep your house safe.
It’s highly important that you call a professional electrician to install extra outlets in your home.
Your electrician will also evaluate your home’s electrical system and address any risks that can lead to a fire hazard.
Looking for professional electrician services in Cypress, Texas? Contact RHK Electrical today! We offer reliable electrician services to our clients. Our certified and highly trained professionals will carefully evaluate your home’s electrical system to ensure safety from electric hazards. For more information, give us a call at +1 832 948 6019.