On average, electrical problems cause 67,000 house fires each year, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Unfortunately, those fires claim an average of 485 lives annually. While the statistics are jarring, you can protect your home and family by following Westchester electrical home safety tips. Find out how to protect your home, loved ones, and property.
Your lamps and lighting fixtures have stickers that indicate the maximum wattage they can handle. If you go over the recommended wattage, your lights and the wiring can overheat, leading to a fire. Thus, be mindful of the wattage when choosing light bulbs. Along with protecting your home and family, this tip will also help you save energy.
Unfortunately, this is one of the most ignored Westchester electrical home safety tips. Countless people use extension cords as permanent solutions, and that’s dangerous. Extension cords deteriorate quickly, and when that happens, they can cause fires or electrical shocks.
If you find yourself using an extension cord as a permanent solution, contact a Westchester County electrician. The professional can install a new outlet so you can stop using the extension cord.
Many Westchester homeowners plug power strips and extension cords into outlets. These cords and strips don’t increase the load that an outlet can handle. Thus, each time you plug something in, you’re adding to the outlet’s electrical load.
If you overload your outlet, it should trip a circuit breaker. However, the wiring might melt, causing sparks and a potential fire. Like the other Westchester electrical home safety tips, following this will help you keep your home and family safe.
You don’t use all of your appliances all of the time. When something isn’t in use, unplug it. Then, you won’t have to worry about power surges or overheating. Plus, unplugging appliances will help you reduce your energy consumption. You’ll see the difference when opening your electric bill.
Checking your outlets is another one of the necessary Westchester electrical home safety tips. You should occasionally touch your outlets with your hands. If an outlet feels hot, go to the breaker box and shut off the circuit. Then, contact an electrician to evaluate the situation. Doing this can help you avoid serious electrical fires. Thus, don’t turn the circuit back on until an electrician fixes the problem.
Extension cords and cords on appliances wear out over time. These cords could be frayed or experience other types of damage. Unfortunately, live electrical wires could be exposed when this happens, creating a serious fire hazard.
Inspect your cords regularly and replace them if they are damaged. Even a minor bit of damage can cause a fire, so add this to your list of Westchester electrical home safety tips. If you are noticing that your cords have small bite marks on them and are not faulty due to wear and tear, then you could have a pest problem. If this is the case, you will need to call in professionals such as https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/local/alabama/ or ones closer to where you live, as you will need to get this sorted out as soon as possible. Go through your house and check out your other electrical wires to see if there is a point of entry or where else you’ll need to be careful until you can get it sorted out.
When considering Westchester electrical home safety tips, it’s important to think about where you place your electrical cords. First, don’t put them in walkways. Along with creating a tripping hazard, cords are prone to damage when you walk over them. If the cords get damaged, they might start a fire.
You might think that you’ll place them under rugs or carpet, so you don’t trip. However, this increases the danger. If the cords spark, they can ignite rugs and carpets.
Plugs should fit snugly in outlets. If your outlets are loose, they can overheat and cause a fire. A Westchester, NY, electrician can replace these outlets for you. Then, you can safely use them once again. In the meantime, unplug everything from loose outlets while waiting for the electrician to arrive.
Don’t let your electrical appliances and equipment get wet. Fix any leaks immediately and dry your hands before touching the appliances. If your appliances get wet, you could get electrocuted.
Kids love to explore, and their curiosity can put them in dangerous situations. For instance, they might stick things in outlets to see what happens. Unfortunately, they can get shocked, so place safety covers over all unused outlets. You can easily remove the cover if you need to use the outlet. However, it will protect kids when the outlet isn’t in use.
You don’t want your circuit breaker box or fuse box to overheat since that can cause a fire. Thus, make sure you’re using the right fuse size. If you aren’t sure if your fuses are the correct sizes, contact a Westchester County electrician for an inspection. Then, the professional can swap out fuses if needed and even inspect the rest of your home if you wish.
Electrical projects are typically complex, so don’t handle them yourself. If you install something incorrectly, it could spark or start a fire at any time. Plus, your house might not be up to code. You can avoid this problem by hiring a professional for your projects.
Along with being safer, this is so much easier. You won’t have to spend your afternoon watching videos or reading articles, trying to figure out what to do next.
Now that you know the important safety tips, it’s time to take the next step to ensure you’re in compliance. Effective Electric has helped homeowners with their electrical needs since 2005. Our team can inspect your home and identify potential hazards. Then, we can fix the issues, so you won’t have to worry about house fires. Start the process by calling Effective Electric at (914) 737-2651 to discuss your needs. Then, we will provide a free quote for our services. Once you agree to the quote, we can get to work.
"*" indicates required fields
