The vast majority of homeowners rely on electricity to power their properties. From lighting your home to charging your smartphone, you’ll need a reliable power supply to enhance the functionality of your property. However, the electrical system can be one of the most dangerous parts of your home.
Due to this, it’s vital to ensure that it’s working properly at all times. If you want to increase your home safety and reduce the risk of accidents, take a look at these top electrical safety tips now:
1. Check Wires for Damage
Over time, electrical wires can become frayed or damaged, which hampers their performance and increases the risk of malfunctions. If the casing that surrounds a wire becomes degraded, for example, a live electrical wire could be visible and, if touched, could cause serious harm. By checking the cords and wires on electrical products regularly, you can identify signs of wear and tear as soon as they appear. This will give you the chance to have items repaired or to purchase replacements and reduce the risk of electrical fires or injuries.
2. Don’t Overload Sockets
In today’s digital era, we tend to use a lot more electrical products than older generations did. This means that many homes and workplaces are not equipped to deal with modern demands for power. If you don’t have as many outlets as you’d like, it might be tempting to use power strips to increase the availability of outlets.
However, power strips or adapters aren’t a permanent solution to this issue. In fact, using more than one power strip at a time can overload the electrical system and significantly increase the risk of something going wrong. If you do choose to use a power strip, make sure only one is in use at any time and always buy a surge-protected power adaptor to reduce the risk of accidents.
3. Make Sure You Have a Backup
It’s easy to take electrical power for granted but, when something goes wrong, you’ll soon realize just how difficult it can be to carry out day-to-day tasks. To ensure you’re prepared for any eventuality, make sure you have a backup power supply on hand. If the mains electrics needs to be switched off for work to be carried out or a power cut occurs, you can rely on your backup to provide continuous power to your home.
One of the easiest ways to ensure you have a suitable backup at home is to invest in an uninterrupted power supply. This will provide power when the mains power fails or if the voltage of your mains electrics drops too low. There are many different types to choose from, so it’s well worth getting expert advice before deciding what type of uninterrupted power supply is best for your home.
4. Allow Air to Circulate Around Devices
When electrical items are in use, there shouldn’t be anything near them or on top of them. If you’re using a microwave, for example, make sure that it’s pulled away from the wall and that nothing is left on top of the unit. Similarly, electric heaters should always be kept away from furniture and nothing should ever be placed over the heater itself.
When air isn’t allowed to circulate around electrical appliances, they can quickly overheat. Not only does this increase the risk of the unit failing, but it can also be a serious fire risk.
5. Don’t Leave Items on Overnight
There are times when it seems more convenient to leave electrical products on overnight. If you want to run the dishwasher or charge your phone, for example, you might be tempted to do this before you go to bed. However, if you’re asleep when electrical outlets are being used, you won’t be able to respond to any issues, such as overheating. As a result, the risk of an electrical fire increases. To keep your home and your family safe, only use electrical items when you’re at home, awake, and in the same room as the item.
6. Teach Kids About Electrical Safety
If you have children, be sure to teach them everything they need to know about electrical safety. You may not think kids have much to do with electricity, but they’re exposed to outlets and surrounded by electrical devices, which means they need to know how to handle it safely. By teaching youngsters not to pull on electrical cords, keeping outlets covered, and ensuring your kids know that water and electricity should never be near one another, you can ensure they’re able to navigate the home safely.
Keeping Your Home Safe
Having your electrical system regularly checked and serviced by a certified electrician is one of the most effective ways to ensure it’s safe. With routine servicing, you can identify potential issues before they become dangerous and be proactive about upgrading your property to improve its safety. What’s more – making minor repairs and upgrades when they’re required can also reduce your long-term costs and make your home even more functional.
If you have any doubts about the safety of your electrical system, call an expert immediately.
