Each year, thousands of people in the United States are critically injured and electrocuted as a result of electrical fires, accidents, electrocution in their own homes. It is important for homeowners to understand the severity of an electrical wiring fire, as it often begins behind a wall, in a basement or in the attic where the fire can spread throughout the home before setting off the smoke alarm or becoming evident to occupants. This reduces the amount of time available to escape a burning building.
Below are safety tips to help homeowners create the safest home possible:
- Make an effort to learn about your home electrical system so that you can safely navigate and maintain it.
- Make sure smoke alarms are installed on every floor outside sleeping areas and in every bedroom, and are in good working order.
- Look for telltale signs of electrical problems such as dimming of lights, frequent circuit breaker trips or blown fuses.
- Ask a qualified electrician if your home would benefit from AFCI protection, especially during inspections of older homes or upgrades to electrical systems.
- Limit the use of extension cords, particularly cords used to power room air conditioners.
- Use light bulbs that are the proper wattage for the fixture – higher wattage bulbs can degrade the wires in and around the fixture.
- Never attempt a project that is beyond your skill level. Knowing when to call a professional may help prevent electrical fires, injuries, and fatalities.
- Always turn off the power to the circuit that you plan to work on by switching off the circuit breaker in the main service panel.
- Be sure to unplug any lamp or appliance before working on it.
References:
Electrical Safety Foundation – http://www.esfi.org
Safety Kits Plus – http://www.safetykitsplus.com
Like this:
Filed under: Disaster, Education, Electrical Safety, Emergency Preparedness, family, Home, Home Safety, preparedness, safety Tagged: | Electrical Safety, home safety
