5 Electrical Safety Rules At Home

We use electricity within our homes so often that it can be something we take for granted. We teach young children about home safety and how to be safe using electrical appliances, but it’s also important that we as adults remind ourselves of the proper precautions.

At Trahan’s Heating & Cooling, we value our customers’ safety and would like to encourage you to practice electrical safety in your own home utilizing some of our recommended practices.

Importance Of Electrical Safety Tips

When it comes to electrical safety around your home, it’s important to be on the safe side and ensure you are doing everything you can to prevent accidents or injuries. There are approximately 47,000 home fires each year in American homes, and around half of those involve wiring or electrical equipment.

Good habits when using electrical appliances can help improve your home safety, and there are many things you can start doing today! Here is a list of electrical safety rules that everyone should follow.

1. Turn Off And Unplug Unused Electrical Appliances

You might be familiar with turning off an appliance that isn’t being used, but you can actually go one step further by unplugging it when not in use.

Even though your appliance is turned off, it still may utilize power from its electrical socket when plugged in. You might be surprised that this safety tip can actually save you some money on your energy bill as well.

2. Avoid Electrical Overloads

Given how many gadgets an average household has and uses on a daily basis, it can be easy to plug in multiple devices into any available outlet. It may come to the point where you’re turning to extension cords to ensure all of your appliances can be used at once.

This practice of overloading a power source can be dangerous if you don’t take the proper care and precautions. Most outlets can only handle between 15-20 amps of power, so make sure you’re not plugging too many electronics into one outlet.

In addition, extension cords should be used temporarily. It’s advised to call an electrician if you’d like to install more outlets in your home. When you do use extension cords, never use it for heat-producing appliances, including:

• Hair dryers
• Curling irons
• Microwaves
• Air fryers
• Pressure cookers

It is also recommended that you only plug one heat-producing device into an outlet at one time. All of these may seem like excessive steps, but they can help keep your household safe.

3. Childproof Your Outlets

If you have toddlers or kids playing around your house, you never know what they can get into. Consider investing in tamper-resistant receptacles (TRRs) which is a long-term solution to covering outlets to prevent young ones from inserting objects into the sockets.

Tamper-resistant outlets are designed with safety shutters that keep the slots of an outlet shut and protected from foreign objects. Overall, these are a great investment for your peace of mind.

4. Don’t Use Damaged Appliances

Have you ever used a phone charger with a frayed cord? You may be thinking, if it still works while charging my phone, what’s the harm in keeping it? The reality is that using a damaged cord can cause sparks and lead to a fire.

Don’t gamble when it comes to electrical appliances, no matter how tempting it is to keep something that partially works. If it is frayed, cracked or damaged, toss it away immediately and purchase a new one!

5. Know Warning Signs When Using Electrical Appliances

Whenever you use an electrical appliance, always be cautious of the sounds and smells it produces. For example, buzzing sounds from electrical appliances, walls, wiring or lamps are not normal. If an appliance flickers or gives off a burnt smell, that is also a warning sign. Stop using them immediately if that is the case!

Watch out for any suspicious signs that indicate a bigger electrical repair problem. Don’t compromise your home’s safety when using an appliance if you think something is wrong.

Electrical Repair For Home Safety

If you suspect you’re dealing with any electrical repair problems, your best bet is to contact a Louisiana electrician to help you out! Our reliable team at Trahan’s Heating & Cooling is here for all your electrical needs. Trust your home’s electrical wiring to our team — reach out today!