By HILARY JOHNSON
Electrical Dangers in the Home
With our heavy reliance on electricity, we all need to be cautious of the electrical use in our homes. Knowing the way electricity can be a danger to you and your family and how you can keep your home safe is vital. Listed below are some of the most common electricity dangers in the home and how to stop them from happening to you.
1. Faulty Wiring – Poor wiring increases the chance of an electrical fire. This is one of the reasons why it’s best to avoid doing electrical work yourself. Get a professional electrician to do it for you. Also, have a professional electrician check your wiring on a regular basis to ensure everything is still okay. If you need to, you may want to upgrade and replace any old, faulty wires.
2. Outlets Close to Water – Electricity and water does not mix. Water conducts electricity and when coming in contact with people, it can kill them. The outlets in your bathroom and kitchen should be installed a good distance away from any water sources to prevent deaths or serious injuries.
3. Covered Electrical Cords and Wires – Covering of cords and wires can make them overheat and cause a fire. Keep your cords and wires away from other objects and ensure that they never get covered. Similarly, ensure that your computer and television have enough space and proper ventilation to ensure they do not catch fire.
Too many things plugged in could cause overheating, leading to fires
4. Light Bulbs – Many people don’t realize just how dangerous light bulbs can be. But when they are covered by curtains, jackets, plastics, etc., a fire could occur. Light bulbs like all other electricity sources could cause an electrical shock. Make sure that when unscrewing a light bulb, it’s turned off. When replacing a light bulb, ensure you’re replacing it with the right wattage. If you don’t, overheating can occur easier and faster.
5. Extension Cords – If these aren’t hidden and away from the walkway, people could trip and hurt themselves. Don’t use extension cords as a permanent substitution for a power source, and don’t ever plug in too much into the extension cord.
6. Curious Little Children – Open sockets are a huge danger to little kids. They want to stick anything and everything into the hole and can get an electric shock as a result, leading to some very serious injuries. To prevent this from happening to them, use the plastic socket covers.
7. Pouring Water on Electrical Fires – Water conducts electricity so this would only make the fire worse. Keep a fire extinguisher in your home to help extinguish the fire. If you can’t extinguish the fire yourself, turn off the electrical power source causing the fire and call for help from your local fire station.
Electricity isn’t something you should ever mess around with. Be safe and ensure that these accidents never happen in your home.