10 Electrical Safety Tips Every Homeowner Should Know
Anything regarding your electrical setup at home can have some potential safety risks, including the ignition of house fires. Did you know that thousands upon thousands of home electrical fires occur every year, and plenty of those cases involve electrocution or electricity-related problems that could’ve been avoided? With that in mind, you shouldn’t need much more convincing that electrical safety is of the utmost importance. The good news is, our team at Meares Plumbing and Electrical has compiled a list of 10 electrical safety tips every homeowner should know:
Don’t Overload Your Electrical Sockets
As electricity flows, it generates heat. Knowing that, it makes sense that the more appliances and devices you have plugged into one outlet/electrical socket, the higher the risk is for an electrical current to spark a fire in your home. While your circuit breaker should shut off your power before the heat gets to a certain level, it’s always best to be proactive and be careful about overloading your electrical outlets.
Avoid Over-Reliance On Extension Cords
Along the same lines as avoiding having too many plugs in the same outlet, it’s important that you don’t constantly rely on extension cords. While extension cords can be a solution to keep yourself from overloading your electrical outlets, you should also make sure you aren’t plugging too many devices into these extension cords as that will also lead to potential fire risks.
Maintain Separation Between Water & Electricity
This should go without saying, but a reminder never hurts. The presence of water near electrical appliances and outlets increases the risk of electrocution. So, it’s important that you keep that in mind as you’re plugging in or unplugging a device—always make sure your hands are dry before you do so. Otherwise, you’re at risk of what could be a significant injury that could’ve been easily avoided.
Keep Electrical Cables Tidy & Organized
At one time or another, every homeowner has found themselves with tangled electrical cables behind the TV or computer. But doing your best to keep these cables organized can go a long way in contributing to electrical safety.
Unplug Appliances & Devices When They’re Not In Use
Not only does unplugging your electricity-using appliances and devices when they’re not in use help reduce the risk of a house fire, but you can also save some energy—which could, in turn, save you some money on your monthly bills.
Give Your Electricity-Using Appliances Some Space
Making sure that your electricity-using appliances aren’t packed into a corner or installed too closely together is paramount, as they need enough air to circulate around them to ensure that they don’t overheat and potentially ignite a fire.
Childproof Your Electrical Outlets
As much as all of these aforementioned tips can help you with your efforts to promote electrical safety, your child might not adhere to them as naturally. That’s why it’s always best to childproof your electrical outlets so that you’re keeping your children safe from any risks involved with electricity.
Understand Your Home’s Electrical Setup
This goes back to not overloading your electrical outlets and extension cords, but in a broader sense, you should be conscious of your home’s electrical capacity. That can be a huge help as you’re making sure everything is safe and as risk-free as possible. An expert electrician can help you with this.
Schedule Regular Electrical Inspections With a Team of Experts
Speaking of expert electricians, relying on your local team of proven professional electricians for regular electrical inspections can be a fantastic way to ensure that everything is in order with your home’s electrical setup. Not only can this give you a chance to get out in front of any potential problems that may come up down the line, but it gets you familiar with a team you can trust for any electrical repairs or installations you may need.
Rely On Professionals for Any Installations of Electricity-Using Appliances
On that front, when the time comes for the installation of a new electricity-using appliance at your home, it’s always best to partner with a team of professionals. That way, you can be confident that everything is being installed correctly and safety precautions are being taken to protect you, your loved ones, and your home in the long run.
If you want to do more to invest in electrical safety at your home or you need a team you can trust for an electrical project in the Tampa Bay area, Meares Plumbing and Electrical is the team to call. Contact us today to learn more.
