Electricity is a double-edged sword that if used wisely and properly will offer us extreme benefits, but when misused will end up causing disasters. Every homeowner should be aware of the necessary electrical safety tips to keep their homes safe and sound.
And remember that one can never be too safe when dealing with electricity!
This is why we rounded up 10 electrical safety tips that every homeowner should know about to avert disasters and protect their houses.
1- Be merciful to your outlet strip
As efficient as it is, connecting too many appliances to one outlet strip may not be a good idea, especially if they are heavy-duty ones.
Connecting appliances like a washing machine and fridge to one outlet strip may overheat the wires and cause a fire.
Not to mention ruining your appliances as well.
This is why it is advisable to be moderate and reasonable when connecting your home appliances and don’t overload your outlet strip.
2- Keep your hands dry
You are only asking for trouble if you are plugging anything into an electrical outlet with wet hands!
As we all know, electricity and water are best friends who can’t wait to get together and catch up. This is why you should make sure your hand is totally dry when plugging anything or getting anywhere near electrical plugs around the house.
3- Shut off the power source
Burnt-out light bulbs are something that happens on a daily basis in all houses.
All homeowners are capable of replacing light bulbs on their own, however, to be safe you need to shut off the power source in your house.
You don’t want to get electrified while replacing a light bulb.
You can replace them in the morning to make use of daylight or make sure you have an emergency kit like a flashlight which comes in handy in such cases.
4- Always keep an emergency kit
Speaking of emergency kits, they are essential and handy, especially during power outages.
Whether it is a flashlight or a battery-powered light, always keep at least one emergency kit in each room of the house.
You never know when an outage might occur!
5- Unplug when cleaning
This is a given people. When cleaning an appliance, it is an essential safety tip to unplug it first before starting to clean it.
Cleaning an electrical appliance like fridges, for instance, will require moving the appliance itself. And cleaning often includes water, which is much better away from electricity.
Hence, unplugging the appliance is the wisest decision to stay safe.
6- Don’t force it
If an electrical plug emits sparks when plugging into an outlet, then don’t force it under any circumstances.
Your outlet might be flawed or anything, hence, you are jeopardizing your safety and you are also risking the ruin of your appliances.
7- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby
You can never be too safe when it comes to electricity. Make your moto better safe than sorry!
That is why it is always recommended to keep a fire extinguisher at an arm’s reach in case of any small electrical fires, they are easily contained at the beginning.
All you need to do is just learn how the fire extinguisher works and you are good to go.
8- Hire a qualified electrician
One of the best electrical safety tips is to hire qualified help when you need it, do not bite more than you can chew.
Always call your electrician if any of the below signs occur
– An outlet feels warm
– The fuse blows frequently or trips currents
– The lights flicker or dim
9- Round the clock monitoring
On a regular basis, you need to check your electrical cords for any cuts or breaks that might happen over time as a result of wear and tear.
Also, periodically check your outlets and switches to make sure they don’t feel warm, which they shouldn’t if they are in good condition.
A periodic check-up will ensure that you stay ahead of any disaster waiting to happen.
10- Best electrical safety tip: Follow the rules
Never use light bulbs that have a higher wattage than recommended.
Lamps or chandleries have a certain capacity. And if you used bulbs with wattage that is higher than what a lamb can handle, then you are risking the occurrence of fire.
That is why you should always check and double-check any electrical appliance or lamp or anything that gets plugged before plugging it, better safe than sorry.
