Sunday, September 20, 2015

Making Your Home Electrical Safe

Recent surveys have shown that about three people die every day from electrical-related incidents in the home. Electricity is quite dangerous if not monitored or used the right way. Kids and pets are also at a high risk of suffering injuries due to electricity because they are the most unknowing and curious when it comes to dealing with electricity. Electricity can cause electrocution, damage appliances or even lead to electrical fires in the home. Electricity awareness and basic knowledge is very important to reduce these destructive, fatal and traumatic incidences with electricity. The following are some of the things you can do to stay safe.

Pest control
Pests, especially rodents, often attack the electrical wiring and cables in your home. They are often attracted by the rubbery outer coating and gnaw on it leaving the very dangerous wires exposed. You can easily get electrocuted if you touch or step on this wire. The damaged wires could also blow out household appliances. You need to ensure that your house is pest free for your own safety.

Safety covers
You can buy safety covers for outlets that are not in use. Children will often stick objects into the outlet to see what happens. It is very dangerous if the child sticks a conductor into the outlet because they will end up electrocuted. Sometimes children also plug in appliances such as iron boxes when no one is watching and this could potentially lead to a fire. These safety covers are designed to be tamper-proof making it difficult for your child or pet to remove.

Have a professional inspect your electrical system
Sometimes electrical problems develop unexpectedly. However, a professional can inspect and identify potential hazards with your electrical systems before they occur. The inspector will check the wiring, the power consumption in the home and the various electricity outlets. They can advice you on ways to control your consumption or even which appliances could be causing problems with your electrical system. You should call an electrician if you notice that the switch place is hot or your outlets are discolored by heat.

Install additional outlets
You should avoid using extension cords and power strips as much as possible. They just increase the risk of electrical faults. In case you have more appliances, you should install additional outlets or for stationary appliances, move the outlet closer to the appliance. In case you have to use extension cords, make sure they are certified to handle the amount of voltage from that outlet.  Use the extension cords only for emergencies and put them away when they are not in use.

High traffic areas

In case you do your own wiring or use extension cords, you should avoid running the wires along high traffic areas. You should put power cords under rugs or furniture and you should nail them to the baseboard. High traffic areas increase risk of electrocution, especially if the wire insulation becomes worn out leaving the live wires exposed.

Posted By: Blackstock Electric http://blackstockelectric.com 

1 comment:

  1. I appreciate this post, but if you stay safe in your home, Your home will have some of the following Main Switch, Fuses, Circuit Breaker, and RCD this 4 is very important.

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