For anyone who wishes to age at home, electrical safety should always be a top priority to ensure wellbeing for the years to come. Though it can be challenging to pin-point the current risks within the home that may impact you or a loved one's safety.
To help you better understand the importance of fire safety and improve the home environment, here are our top five electrical safety tips.
Check Outlet Safety
It’s very important to always check outlets within the home.
Over the years it’s easy for outlets to become worn out and damaged over time. And unfortunately, many people do not think to check their electrical outlets from time to time. This can often lead to damaged outlets that when not replaced pose a major fire risk.
It's also important that when you do check your outlets, be sure to take note of any cracks in the outlet cover or exposed wires. If you see any damage like this, be sure to replace the outlet immediately.
If you're looking for a safe an effective outlet, we recommend Jiangsiling's Wall Socket Outlet Extender. This is a great solution for any home and provides a variety of features for convenience.
Key Features:
- Includes 3 USB charging ports and a phone holder
- Comes with a surge protection to prevent voltage fluctuations, surges and spikes.
Don't Overload Outlets
Always make sure you never overload an electrical outlet - which occurs when too many devices are plugged into one outlet.
In today's world of technology it's much more common to see people overload their outlets throughout the entire home. Though to reduce fire risk it's important to keep the amount of devices plugged in at one time to a minimum.
If plugging in multiple devices is necessary, we recommend using a power strip with a surge protector.
Interested in learning more about electrical safety? Click here to schedule a time to meet with a home safety expert.
Don't Run Electrical Cords Under Rugs
Another electrical safety tip is to make sure you don't ever run electrical cords under rugs or carpets. This can both damage the cord and create a major fire and tripping risk.
If for some reason a cord must be run across a rug or carpet, always make sure to use a cord cover.
Cord covers are designed to protect cords from being stepped on or damaged and are relatively cost-effective. In addition, be sure to never nail or staple electrical cords to walls or baseboards. This can damage the cord and is generally viewed as a very unsafe practice.
Replace Broken Light Bulbs
It’s not uncommon for light bulbs to crack from oil that may have transferred from a hand to the light bulb when it was installed. When that oil heats it it can cause the bulb to crack and eventually explode. Because of this it's important to always check on light bulbs that may have broken or need to generally be replaced.
You may also notice light bulbs throughout the home to flicker. This flickering can be a sign of an electrical problem and should be fixed as soon as possible.
Keep Flammable Materials Away
Flammable materials such as curtains, paper or clothing are all materials that when too close to an electrical outlet, can easily catch fire. Unfortunately this is often one of the most overlooked electrical safety tips though is one that is extremely important to follow.
Always make sure flammable items are kept at a safe distance and if need be, consider moving household items to a new location if you feel they might pose a risk. This is especially true in the bedroom where bed sheets may fall off the bed and near an electrical outlet.
The Electrical Safety Tips To Know
These five tips can help anyone prevent electrical shock and fire at home. And if you ever notice an electrical outlet that looks damaged or are concerned about electrical safety in general, it’s best to have an expert take a look. There are many safety strategies and home modification products that can easily be implemented to ensure that fire risk is kept to a minimum for you or a loved one.
