5 Electrical Practices to Keep Your Home Safe
Electricity plays an important role in everyday life. It helps to keep the refrigerator running, to have the lights on, and many other devices in our homes require electricity. But how do we ensure that everyone living in our homes is safe from the dangers of electrical fire and electrocution? If you do not practice safe electric practices, it can be a real threat in the home that can lead not only to injury but to death as well. Fortunately, if you implement electric safety practices you will enjoy using electricity knowing no one is at risk of any dangers. Below are 5 electrical practices to keep your home safe.
- Hire professionals
Sometimes there is electrical work that needs to be done and only a professional can handle it. Therefore, to ensure safety, bring in certified electricians from Richmond for the big stuff. This is the best protection you can get against electrical fires and electrocution as electrical professionals have the knowledge and expertise to handle all your home electrical needs. Even when it is the smaller stuff that you can do yourself, you can leave it to them for safety purposes and to ensure that a decent job is done.
- Check electrical cords
Electrical cords come in handy to help us use various electrical appliances. However, sometimes they stop working because of age or they have become faulty. When your cord is aging or damaged, it can cause various sparks that can cause shock to touch or even lead to an electrical fire. Therefore, as a safety precaution, ensure that you check your home’s electric cords in every room at least after every few months. Look out for fraying, discoloration, and any other sign that shows they are past their prime. Importantly, avoid running your cords under the rug, as the heat damage can go unseen until there is a fire.
- Unplug electronics when not in use
It is advisable to unplug devices from electricity when you are not using them. Not only will it increase your home electrical safety, but it will help save on your electrical bill. Although this is advised, many people still leave their houses with appliances plugged in as they head out to work or for errands. If this is the case in your home, purchase smart power strips as a realistic solution to help stop the flow of electricity when not in use. Not only will these strips cut the power off, but they help to save energy as they can detect when a device is in standby mode.
- Protect the outlets
Ensure that your outlets are tamper-resistant to reduce the risk of electrical dangers. This because the holes in your outlets lead to electricity, especially if you have a nosey pet or children. To do this, invest in outlet covers such as sliding plate covers or plug caps for when not in use. Also, ensure that outlet faceplates and all light switch plates are well screwed in and secured in place. In case you have old outlets that have only two-prongs, consider upgrading them to the latest three-prong outlets. What’s more important is to ensure that you test the outlets yearly, to ensure they are performing well.
- Inspect the electrical panel
Do not only think about your electrical panel only when you have to reset a circuit breaker. Electrical panels, like everything, have a life span and after a long time of use, you have to replace them. For instance, if you have to reset your breakers often, adding a few major appliances to your home or your panel is older than 20 years. It is possibly time for a replacement. Also, if you feel like your panel is in very good shape, it is still vital to have it inspected yearly by a professional that helps to spot any potential issues.
To conclude, the above electric safety tips for your home are vital for everyone to know them. Others like keeping electronics away from the water are a no-brainer. However, many homeowners need to know more about electrical practices to keep their homes safe. Also, do not only cater for indoor safety but outdoor electrical safety as well.
Good advice.A fire can happen in no time.
Thank you for sharing this advice!
I need some information about Electricity anyone can guide me?
Thanks for share .