10 Ways to Prevent Home Electrical Fires

Electrical fires cause hundreds of lost lives and cost millions of dollars in damaged property each year.  Here is a list of 10 ways to prevent electrical fires from starting at home.

1) Inspect the cords and plugs on electrical equipment and appliances and replace anything that is frayed or worn out. Faulty wiring is one of the major causes of home electrical fires.

2) Do not overload your electrical sockets. The best guideline to the proper use of electrical sockets is to check how many spaces it has for plugs. If an electrical socket only has 2 plug outlets, then it is designed only to handle that many appliances at the same time.

3) Extension cords are alright to use, but not extensively. Under no circumstances should extension cords be used as permanent electrical sockets. Electrical fires happen most often in the month of December, during the holiday season when people use a lot of extension cords for decorations. If extension cords are used on occasion they should be heavy duty and good quality.

4) Electrical appliances have different pronged plugs. Don't try to force a 3-pronged plug into a 2-pronged outlet.

5) Use safety covers on electrical sockets particularly if you have small children.

6) A lot of fires are a result of using stand-alone electrical heaters. Be sure to keep these heaters away from curtains, drapes, clothes, and any other flammable materials, particularly Christmas trees during the holiday season.

7) Be careful of electric blankets. Buy only the highest quality electric blankets, preferably those with temperature safety controls which control how hot a blanket gets. Discard electric blankets that have loose or exposed wires to keep the user from being burned.

8) Do not place carpets or rugs over electrical cables. Carpets can be easily ignited by faulty exposed electrical cords. It is better to be able to see electrical cords than to be burned by them.

9) Only buy appliances that have passed all safety standards.

10) Watch out for fuses and sockets that frequently short-circuit. These are signs of faulty wiring or overloaded electrical systems. Contact an electrician immediately.