5 Electrical Safety Precautions To Protect Your Home

While electricity is an undisputed lifesaver, we have to learn safer ways of handling it. Unfortunately, not everyone takes it as seriously as they should and end up suffering the dire consequences.

A large section of the globe is dependent on electricity and its benefits. It’s a commercial and residential commodity that sustains life in various ways.

It’s good to be informed and sensitized on how far an electricity can stretch in its bid to improve our lives. This marks our boundaries and avoids crossing them. 

Here are five electrical safety tips to protect your home.

Check On Damaged Cords

Damaged electrical cords often cause fire breakouts at home and even electrocution among residents. Checking on your cables regularly prevents such risky occurrences and keeps everyone at home safe.

One huge mistake to avoid is to staple your cords on walls. This damages them and heightens the risks of a house fire. Another common mistake is using faulty ones. Get a new extension cord when you need them. 

Placing extension cords is not a safety measure but an electrical hazard that must be avoided at all costs. The warmth from the rugs and carpets causes overheating, which leads to power trips.

When unsure of the state of the cords at your house, consult a certified professional. They always have legit answers at their fingertips and prevent irreparable electricity-based damages from occurring.

Invest in certified professionals and involve them during the wiring process. Damaged cords will need replacement, and this is where they render their unmatched expertise and services.

Don’t wait till your cords get damaged to replace them. Have them inspected, especially if they’ve been around longer than they should.

Avoid Overloading Your Socket

Unbeknownst to most homeowners, overloading is a severe cause of most outages and accidents at home. Plugging many appliances into one socket is detrimental as it causes overheating.

The larger appliances should never have to share a socket with other devices. Instead, allocate one for each to enhance electrical safety at home. Understand that these appliances vary in terms of power usage.

The tricky part is when you overload and see no immediate signs of impending danger. Check your plugs and sockets regularly to ensure that they are not overheated.

In case of any queer observations, unplug the socket and transfer your appliance to a safer alternative. Check the wattage and amp of your electrical devices to ensure that you’re not subjecting them to overheating. 

One popular way to know that your sockets are overloaded is a frequent power trip. Contact a certified electrician when your fuses often blow for this same apparent reason.

Keep Appliances Away From Water

Accidents happen, but the good news is that there are many ways to prevent them. Ensure that no electrical appliance is anywhere near the kitchen sink when organizing your kitchen.

If there’s no other place for them, ensure that they are unplugged when not in use. Some appliances are too sensitive to moisture and will act up at the slightest water droplet.

Electricity and water have not exactly been able to see eye to eye since time immemorial. This theory should be the guiding factor for anyone willing to prevent the occurrence of shocks and electrocution instances at home.

Keep all your appliances dry and also endeavor to handle them with dry hands at all times. Use a dry towel if your hands aren’t dry enough to control the devices in question.

Besides, following this rule enhances the durability of each of your appliances and keeps accidents from happening. Other potential and common accident-prone areas at home include the bathtubs and showers, plant pots, and aquariums.

No electrical appliances should be positioned anywhere close to these spots.

Unplug Unused Appliances

This is a simple tip yet so complex in some homes simply because our minds are usually clogged up most of the time. This leads to forgetfulness which endangers lives at home and lowers the quality of the appliances.

Unplugging yields multiple benefits, including saving your electric bills from skyrocketing and keeping you safe from unforeseen power surges. It may seem unfair but, most electrical appliances at home consume electricity even when not off but still plugged into the socket.

Unplugging is the one solution that stops this activity on its tracks. You will have no crazy electric bills to worry about when the mail comes in.

Follow The Manufacturer’s Instructions

Every electric appliance or device always comes with a manual that guides users on proper handling. The instructions also include safe methods of use and what to do if the product begins to act up.

Never go against the manufacturer’s instructions and follow random tips from unverified sources. Instead, be consistent to ensure durability and proper functioning of the appliances.

Following instructions to the letter also assures you of unmatched safety and comfort at home.

Conclusion

Electrical safety around the home should never be downplayed but taken very seriously. This applies primarily in homes with little ones running around innocently and unsupervised.

While maximizing all the comfort and luxury that comes with modern electrical appliances, let’s not forget the price we have to pay. Our responsibility is to be conscious of our environment at home and ensure proper usage and storage of electrical appliances.