Are Your Electricals a Fire Hazard?

Just like you depend on your car to take you from A to B, you depend on the electrical equipment in your home to do its job without breaking down, or worse, causing a fire hazard for you and your loved ones.

What electrical equipment poses a risk as a fire hazard in your home? Do you own electric blankets? Are there old wires connected to your hair appliances? Do you have light bulbs that might overheat? There are many dangerous electrical appliances, but when you become a defensive homeowner, you will reduce the risk (and possibly eliminate it altogether) of fire hazards occurring in the first place.

Take a Good Look Around You

Most of us are so busy living our lives that we don’t stop to think that the appliances we depend on for a comfortable life (electrical outlets that give us light, kitchen appliances that warm up our food and refrigerators that keep our food cold) could possibly start a fire.

However, the truth is, there are many electrical devices that pose an everyday threat. So take a good look around you. Walk into your living room, bedroom and kitchen. Do you have electrical devices plugged into your outlets all day while you’re at work? Did you accidentally leave your electrical blanket on last night? Do you have any coloured wires that are sticking out of your old and out dated kitchen appliances?

Furthermore, are any of your electrical sockets jam-packed with plugs? Overloaded plugs can lead to overheating, which can in turn result in a fire. Start to eliminate these risks altogether by surveying your home.

Don’t forget to make some small changes that can produce big time safety results for you and your loved ones. Some tips for home fire prevention include:

• Ensure that all plugs are firmly in place inside of the outlet. Did you know that when plugs are loose inside of their respective outlets, you’re playing with fire – literally?
• Don’t place water near any electrical outlet or appliance. Sometimes, the most innocent actions can cause the most damage. Be mindful of where you position anything that contains water. Make sure that it’s far enough away from any electrical source. Fresh flowers in a vase, for example, shouldn’t ever be rested on top of the television, near an iPad, a plugged in phone or an outlet.
• Your bathroom. Your bathroom is a dangerous place if you are careless with your electrical appliances. Your hairdryer, for example, plugs into the wall, which often times is right next to the sink. Be extra careful to avoid dragging the cord of your hair appliances across the sink, which is still wet from rinsing off your hands.
• Unplug all appliances after use. Keeping appliances plugged in all day and night can cause overheating. The sooner you get into the habit of unplugging appliances after using them (except for important items such as the freezer and refrigerator) the safer you will be.
• Light bulbs. Light bulbs have a tendency to get very hot, so when your lamps are in use, make sure to segregate them from other items in your home. Under no circumstances should you drape any material over a lamp or light bulb.

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