Spring is the perfect time to ensure your home’s electrical safety. Overloaded circuits, loose connections, short circuits, and splitting power cords are commonly overlooked and can cause property damage and injury. Inspecting your electrical system is an often overlooked, but critically important part of any home’s spring cleaning and maintenance.
House electrical fires accounted for hundreds of thousands of fires each year in the US, causing property damage, injury, and even death. You can substantially reduce your risk of an electrical fire by using the following electrical safety tips.
Inspect Electrical Cords
Check all your home’s electrical cords for frayed wires, cord pinching, loose-fitting plugs, or anything metal holding cords in place. If you see any damage, do not use them and replace as soon as possible. Overloaded cords may trip home circuit breakers or blow fuses. Unplug and move electrical items to a different outlet if they are overloading outlet panels or surge protectors.
Test GFCI Outlets
Walk around your house and check all GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) outlets. These outlets in areas near water, such as bathrooms, kitchens and outside your house, help protect you from electrical shock. You’ll see a “Test” and “Reset” button and possibly an indicator light built into the outlet. Press to confirm your GFCI outlets are working properly.
Check Fire Extinguishers
Your fire extinguisher hose, nozzle, and pressure gauge should be checked yearly. The pressure gauge needs to be in the “green” range, and the extinguisher will need replacement if past its expiration date. Properly rated fire extinguishers marked “C” can prevent small electrical fires from growing into large ones in a matter of seconds.
Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Test smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors every 30 days by holding down the “Test” button to ensure they’re working properly. Dust can clog the sensors, so clean with a soft cloth and replace the batteries annually. Remember to replace any smoke or CO detectors 10 years or older.
Examine Appliances and Devices
You probably have quite a few appliances and electrical devices plugged into your home outlets. Check all appliances and devices including TVs, laptops, and stereo equipment for cord or plug damage. Move any appliances in the kitchen area away from water and make sure cords are not near heat sources, such as a stove or oven.
Schedule An Annual Home Electrical Safety Inspection
Before summer arrives, have your home inspected by a qualified electrician to ensure it is current with local electrical codes. Your expert electrician will troubleshoot and discuss with you how to safely fix any potential electrical hazards.
Call today to schedule your spring home electrical maintenance with Cool Blew at 623-872-2900. Our team of professionals are here to answer your questions and schedule service at your convenience.
