Crucial Electrical Safety Tips for Your Home Revisited

What is your most preferred place in home? Maybe it is the living room where chill out catching up with the latest releases on Netflix. Perhaps it is the kitchen, where you try best to be the finest chef in the world. Well, in contrast to those places an average mortal individual spends over 12 thousand days in bed, which is equivalent to 33 years of one’s lifetime! And these 12 thousand days exclude those days when you are in a bad shape to leave the bed at all. Considering this fact, it definitely makes sense to make your bedroom electrically fool proof. Here are a few tried and tested tips.

Tips to make your home electrically safe and fool proof

Never charge any electrical device like tablets and phones either on the bed or under the pillow while you are sleeping. This is to be avoided because that way the device could overheat and trigger an electrical fire. If it is possible do not charge devices unattended. Neither do charge them overnight. Charge them on a hard surface only when that is required.
At the end of a grilling day, it is indeed tempting to throw your clothes into a pile. But you should better overcome that temptation at any cost as that only leads to a massive fire hazard. The pile is not only the perfect form to get kindled easily but also it can possibly block your exit route.
When there is limited number of electrical outlets in a bedroom, we all rely on extension leads to get our work done easily. Using of extension leads is fine until and unless you are cautious and not overloading the leads or the wall sockets. Overloaded leads heat up easily leading to the possibility of an electrical fire.
There may already be a smoke alarm installed on the ground floor of the house, it is important to get one fitted at every level of your building. Now you may be wondering why? In case a fire starts up in the bedroom upstairs, you have better chance of making your exit safely and call for help.
Make it a habit to visually check the cables and plugs installed in your bedroom at regular intervals for signs of wear and tear, damage or loose fitting. If anything catches up with your eyes, you should better stop using that appliance immediately.
Many people use portable heater to stay warm specially during those chilly months. Every time you use the device make sure to keep it away from flammable items like curtains, paper and furniture. It is also important to note, please do never use a portable heater to dry clothes.
Another very common source of fires inside bedrooms is electrical blankets. Immediately replace your blanket whenever you notice the minimal signs of wear and tear. Go through the manufacturer’s manual to store it in the correct way. Incorrect folding of the item easily damages its wires and the blanket gets compromised without you even knowing about it.

In addition to the bedroom safety related to electrics that we have already discussed above, there are few more safety factors to follow in your home. Let us explore those factors in the following section.

Make sure that all electrical equipment is in perfect working condition

One of the commonest causes of electrical short circuits is equipment that is not in proper working condition. It is also important to plug in equipment properly into the socket. Do check all electrical equipment at home for malfunctioning at regular intervals.

Switch the main power supply off

While working on a home’s electrical system most amateurs leave the main power supply on. This is a major reason for electrical shocks and other untoward incidents. Religiously switch off the main power supply during any major maintenance or remedial activity related to electrics in your home. While working on small power outlets, first switch the plug point off and then lay your hands on the job.

Cold and warm power outlets

A warm power outlet often signals a variety of problems. The issue may range from electrical circuit overload to shot up wiring. Make it a habit to run a monthly inspection to check all power outlets at home. Place your hand on the outlets to identify the warm or hot outlets.

Have a fire extinguisher handy

It is a smart idea to keep a fire extinguisher by the hand in your house. Water readily conducts electricity. Thus, it is not an ideal solution to put out electrical fires either small or big.

Replace older appliances on time

Older appliances are known to develop grounding issue. This occurs as a result of normal wear and tear. The issue makes you more vulnerable to electric shocks. Make sure that every household appliance has a 3-pronged plug to connect to a grounded outlet in the right way. Replace any appliance in your kitchen that has only 2-pronged plug to ensure safety from electrical shocks.

Professional intervention

Whenever you are in any doubt regarding electrics in your home, do consult a qualified professional. Do not hesitate reaching out to a trained and licensed electrician whenever you feel an issue is spiralling out of hand.

Avoid using extension cords for longer periods of time

Under any circumstance do not consider that extension cords are meant to be a permanent source of power. They are indeed great for temporary use but if you keep relying on an extension cord all the time then it is much better to get a new electrical outlet installed in its place.

Current overloading

As a basic thumb rule, you should always avoid overloading a single outlet. Electrical outlets are meant to put out certain amount of energy. When you plug in multiple appliances that draw higher wattage you invite a lot of risk. As a matter of fact, this can seriously be very risky. If it is not possible to rearrange the appliances to different or individual outlets, get new outlets installed so that the condition of circuit overloading can be avoided.

Professionals dealing in electrical maintenance in London suggest the tips discussed above. Follow the tips to avoid unnecessary risks of electric shocks and electrical fires. Remember electrics are always hazardous if not approached with the necessary care and caution.