Electrical safety
Electricity is everywhere in our homes, and it's a very useful part of our lives. Yet it only takes one old or poorly wired plug to prove just how powerful it is. The wires don't even need to touch for a spark to jump and a fire to start.
Don't get too casual with electricity. Just because there's no flame doesn't mean there's no fire risk.
- Use only outdoor lights in your yard. The box will tell you which is which.
- Make sure your holiday lights are safety certified. Look for a label that says "Underwriters Laboratories Approved" or "UL Listed".
[edit] Precautions that can prevent disasters:
Each year many people are injured in and around their homes because of carelessness and lack of knowledge. Following are some simply precautions that can prevent disasters from happening around the home.
1. All outlets in the home should be of the three-pronged type. Replace all the older two-pronged outlets. Do not use adapters that allow you to plug a three-pronged appliance into a two-pronged outlet.
2. Inspect electric cords for damage. If you see a crack in the insulation, repair or replace it.
3. Do not overload electrical circuits. This may happen when you plug too many appliances into the same outlet using adapters. Do not use those 3 way adapters (octopus adapter), especially not for high power appliances (irons, heaters, ovens, microwaves, etc). Multi-outlet strips are ok to use with computers, their peripherals and other small electrical devices.
4. Keep all electric appliances away from water, such as a sink or a bathtub. Never touch anything that runs on electricity when your hands are wet.
5. Insert plastic safety caps in all unused electrical outlets if small children are present in a home.
6. Keep electric appliances and light bulbs away from flammable liquids or materials.
7. Make sure that children don't play around the electrical poles or panels outside the house, coming from the Electric Company.
8. Don't run extension cords and cables under a rug.
9. Carry appliances by their handle and not by their cord.
10. When taking a plug out of a receptacle, don't pull it out by the cord.
11. Most appliances, such as the television, need to have a free flow of air around them so they do not overheat and start a fire. Do not obstruct the flow of air around such appliances.
12. Have a multi-purpose fire extinguisher at hand, near your electrical panel.
Electrical panels should be examined by an electrician at least once a year. Throughout the year the connections in the panel constantly heat up when the power that is being used is at a high, and cool off again when the power consumption goes back down to normal. The changes in temperatures cause the connections in the panel to expand and contract, thus, loosening them up and causing the connections and the wires to start burning. This very dangerous situation can be avoided by having your main and sub panels checked at least once a year (preventive maintenance) by a competent electrician.
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