Electrical hazards at home are not always the most obvious to spot, but they are easy to fix without the need of an electrician. It’s important to practice electrical safety precautions so you can recognize potential hazards and prevent electrical accidents.
Electrical Hazards and Safety: 5 Tips To Follow
When it comes to electrical hazards and safety, it’s best to keep up the following practices in order to prevent the need for an electrician, and especially avoid hazardous situations.
- Check on potentially outdated or poor wiring
This is one of the most common electrical hazards at home that lead to fires, but they are also one of the easiest to spot. The key is listening for flickering, buzzing or dimming lights, checking for frayed or chewed wiring, searching for discoloration, scorching and smoke, feeling for warm or vibrating wall outlets, or smelling for burning and odd odors.
- Never leave appliances plugged-in near water
As you may already know, water and electricity make for a life-threatening electrical hazard, but if you happen to accidentally get a plugged-in appliance wet, be sure not to unplug it yourself. Rather, turn off your electricity from your electrical panel box and then unplug it. Once the appliance or device has dried thoroughly, have an electrician evaluate whether or not it’s fit for continued use.
It’s also important to make sure you never use power tools outside in wet conditions.
- Practice safe use of extension cords
This is one of the most important electrical safety precautions to practice. Improper use of extension cords will often lead to hazardous situations. For the best prevention, be sure not to overload your cord by plugging in multiple heavy-duty appliances, and avoid placing cords under rugs. Make sure your cord is in its best condition, and buy UL rated extension cords for the safest use. It’s important not to rely on extension cords to constantly provide electricity to a section of your home. Instead, install more electrical outlets and only use cords when you’re able to respond quickly to potential electrical hazards at home.
If using an electrical cord outdoors, make sure you buy one that is fit to withstand outdoor elements.
- Match the light bulb’s wattage rating to the lamp
Light bulbs should always match according to what a lamp can handle. If the wattage is higher than the lamp’s rating, it can cause a fire. Avoid this electrical hazard by ensuring light bulbs are less than or equal to the maximum wattage printed on the lamp’s socket.
- Use electrical safety outlet covers to protect children
If you have children, outlet covers can provide a great peace of mind for your electrical safety precautions. Outlet covers prevent babies and small children from sticking their fingers and other objects into unoccupied outlets, protecting them against shock and electrocution. Opt for safety wall plates, which are built-in, retractable covers that automatically snap back into place when outlets aren’t in use.
B & W Electric
If you find yourself in need of an electrician, be sure to browse our site for more information on high quality, reliable, and affordable residential electrical services in the Denver area, and please contact us today to schedule an appointment.