Electricity is something we don’t think about much. In fact, we take for granted that it is there for us when we need it. Most importantly, we rarely consider the “dark side” of electricity. If not respected, electricity can injure you severely, or even kill you. Let’s take a look at ways we can keep our relationship with electricity safe and productive.
Keeping Children Safe
The National Fire Protection Association tells us that each year about 2,400 children are injured when they insert items into electrical receptacles. Six to 12 of these annual injuries are fatal.
The best way to protect children from electrical injuries is by preventing them from being able to insert anything into outlets. There are several ways to do this, from little plastic plug caps to complete outlet covers.
However, the best way to keep little ones (and everyone else) safe is to install tamper resistant receptacles (TRRs). They look like normal receptacles, but they are equipped with spring-loaded shutters that block the slots and prevent objects from being inserted. When a real plug is inserted, the springs are released and the plug slides in smoothly. The trick is that an electrical plug compresses both springs at once. However, if a child inserts an object into one opening, the springs do their job and the object does not make contact with electricity.
Are TRRs expensive? Not at all! They cost just a bit more than regular plugs. This one’s a no-brainer! Replace all your outlets with TRRs. If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, call a licensed electrician. It’s a small price to pay for the safety of your little ones. Click here to watch a video about how TRRs work.
Keeping Cool!
Electrical outlets and switches should be cool to the touch and tight. If they feel warm or loose, emit a burning smell, or make a crackling noise, go to your electrical panel and shut power to that breaker immediately. Replace the switch or outlet before a fire or injury happens.
Watch out for flickering
Lights that flicker or shut off without a reason could be a sign of loose or broken wires. Both of these are serious fire dangers. Ask an electrician to check the switch, the fixture, and the circuit breaker. The cost of this is small compared to loss of property or life in the event of fire.
Feeling a bit overloaded?
Never crowd up your outlets with more than they are equipped to handle. Power strips are intended to protect delicate equipment from surges, but not for plugging ten items into one outlet. Standard outlets are made to power just a few devices. Overloaded outlets are not just a serious fire risk, but they are a major cause of home and building fires. So lighten their load at once if you’re overworking them!
Whose fault? The ground’s fault!
Wet areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms are risky places to use electrical appliances. Electricity and water don’t mix. While you may be tempted to handle a hairdryer or toaster with wet hands, please just say NO! The few seconds you’ll save are not worth serious injury or death.
Wet hands or not, the best practice for wet areas of your home is to install outlets with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs). GFCIs are those outlets with a red and black button on them (test and reset). When you plug a device into a GFCI outlet, it monitors the power entering the device. Let’s say you accidentally drop a hair dryer into a sink full of water, the GFCI registers the change in current and cuts off the power to the device. This can save your life!
New homes are required to have GFCIs in wet areas, but even if your home is older, be sure GFCI circuits are present in the areas where water flows freely. Click here to read more about how GFCIs work.
Don’t fight fire with fire!
If you ever see flames coming from an electrical outlet or switch, don’t throw water at it. Water just conducts more electricity, and it can make the problem a lot worse. Keep a fire retardant chemical extinguisher on each level of your home, and make sure everyone knows how to use it.
Click here to see a video on dry chemical fire extinguisher use.
Discard that old, dry Christmas tree
It’s hard to part with that beautiful Christmas tree. Who wants to end that amazing feeling of Christmas? However, dried up trees are a common source of fire. Do an inspection of your tree by running your hand along one of the branches. If needles fall off freely, it’s time to take down the lights and ornaments and discard the tree.
Happy New Year!
A new year means new beginnings. Peter Young Home Inspections wishes all of you a healthy and prosperous 2020!
Buying or selling a home?
Know before you sign on the dotted line! Call Asheville Home Inspector Peter Young, 828-808-4980, or click the link below to make an appointment today.
