Electrical Safety Tips for Your Home

One common cause of home fires is electricity. To help protect you and your family, we have provided a few helpful tips on electrical safety.
April 2, 2018 | Home
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Electrical Safety Tips for Your Home

As you are doing some spring cleaning take a look at your electrical outlets and cords. Here are five safety tips to help you know what to look for.
By: Addie A.
Addie has a wide range of personal insurance experience and with her position at Acuity, has been able to specialize in homeowners insurance. On top of her homeowners insurance knowledge, Addie has a good understanding of the insurance industry in general. She focuses on the consumer allowing her to play a key role in product development. Also, she is currently working towards an Associate in General Insurance designation. In her free time Addie spends time outdoors and enjoys playing and watching sports.

Author of Home Focus

One common cause of home fires is electricity. To help protect you and your family, we have provided a few helpful tips on electrical safety.

 

  1. Overloading the outlet or power strip. Make sure the outlet or power cord you are using is rated high enough to support the item you want to plug in. Overloading a power strip or outlet could cause it to heat up and become a source of ignition. If you smell burning, see smoke, or feel warmth coming from an outlet or power strip, unplug it or turn the power off at the circuit breaker.
  2. Using the wrong cord for the job. To avoid unnecessary dangers, make sure you are using the right tools and cords for the job. When it comes to extension cords, some are more heavy duty than others. Proper use information can often be found printed or stamped on the cord itself. Avoid using 2 prong cords. Never plug 3-prong plug into a two-prong cord. Avoid using flat extension cords. 
  3. Frayed or worn cords. All power cords have a protective insulation around the wiring. If the wiring is exposed due to worn insulation or a tear or break in the insulation, it is time to replace it. Do not place cords in high-traffic areas, under rugs, or mount them to walls. When removing a cord from an outlet, pull at the plug do not tug on the cord.  Cords that are exposed to more use and abuse will naturally wear faster. While it may be a pain to replace a lamp, it will be cheaper than damage caused by a house fire.
  4. Loose connections. Loose connections between the plug and outlet can cause electric arcing. If you find you have outlets that no longer hold plugs tightly, it is time to replace them. 
  5. 3-prong vs. 2-prong outlets. Appliances and electronics usually have 3 prong plugs, the 3rd prong is a ground prong and is in place as a safety measure. It helps protect from sparking or electric shock. You should never cut off the ground prong in order to use the cord in a 2-prong outlet.  If you have an older home, you should hire a qualified electrician to update your electrical outlets.
  6. Combustible material too close to outlet. The above risks could come to a head if combustible material is too close to the outlet or cords. Overheating power strips, exposed wires, or sparking in combination covered with a blanket, dirty laundry, or a rug could spell devastation for your home and family. 

 

While all the above items should be addressed to increase the safety of your home, always hire a qualified electrician if you do not know what you are doing. Electricity is something you do not want to mess around with.

 

Sources

http://www.propertycasualty360.com/2015/02/23/its-house-fire-season-here-are-the-8-most-common-f?page_all=1&slreturn=1519252901

https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/help-plugs-fall-out-of-my-outl-145362

https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-electrical-circuit-overload-1152861

https://www.homedepot.com/c/factors_to_consider_when_choosing_extension_cords_HT_BG_EL

By: Addie A.
Addie has a wide range of personal insurance experience and with her position at Acuity, has been able to specialize in homeowners insurance. On top of her homeowners insurance knowledge, Addie has a good understanding of the insurance industry in general. She focuses on the consumer allowing her to play a key role in product development. Also, she is currently working towards an Associate in General Insurance designation. In her free time Addie spends time outdoors and enjoys playing and watching sports.

Author of Home Focus