According to the National Fire Protection Association, electrical failures or malfunctions were the second leading cause of home fires in the US from 2012 to 2016. Electrical fires can do a lot of damage to your home and put you at risk. Luckily, you can easily prevent these fires. We have accumulated a few tips about how you can prevent an electrical fire in your home:
- Unplug heat-producing appliances as soon as you can.
Any appliances that produce heat, such as electric kettles, coffee makers, toasters, or irons, can easily overheat and catch fire if left plugged in for too long. Make sure you do not leave these appliances unattended and unplug them when they are not in use.
- Limit your use of extension cords.
Because of the way they overheat, extension cords should be used on a very limited basis. They can overload a single socket, which may not be designed to handle that much power at once. Your appliances and electronics should be directly plugged into the outlet. If you do not have enough outlets for your home, contact us at Arrow Electric Service as soon as possible.
- Take care of your outlets.
Keep an eye on outlets throughout your home, and replace any missing or broken wall plates. You don’t want any of the wiring exposed, which can be dangerous, especially if you have pets or children in your home. You also never want to force a plug into an outlet. If you need a three-prong outlet and only have a two-prong outlet, you’ll want to contact us so we can update your outlets to three-prong ones.
- Use light bulbs properly.
When you need to replace a light bulb on a lamp, make sure your light bulb wattage meets your lamp or other fixture requirements. Never go over that recommended wattage. Once you get the right type of bulb, secure it tightly, so it doesn’t overheat. Lastly, avoid putting any cloth or paper over our lampshade, which can heat up and ignite the material.
- Check your cords.
Avoid plugging in any device that has a damaged cord. Check any old appliances, and see if it looks frayed, cracked, or loosened. Make sure you replace the item or get the cord repaired before you plug it in again. Also, avoid putting cords in highly trafficked areas because that can damage them.
With these suggestions, you are improving your chances of avoiding an electrical fire. Most importantly, don’t ignore signs of trouble. If you see burn marks or something you have plugged in is hot to touch, or there’s an electrical spark when you plug something in, it’s a sign that there is a bigger problem. You’ll want to stop using the device immediately or contact us immediately.