We would like to share some simple reminders about electrical safety in your home. If you have your own young children or have children in your home often, you will want to be even more aware about the electrical safety in your home.
You can start by making sure the outlets in your bathroom and kitchen are GFCI outlets. GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. GFCI outlets monitor the amount of power to the device plugged into it. If there is an interruption in the current say the hair dryer fell into water the GFCI will cut the power to the device. This protects people from electrical shock.
Overloaded circuits are also a hazard in your home. Space heaters, fridges, portable air conditions, deep freezes should all have their own dedicated circuit. If a circuit is overloaded it could cause the wires to overheat which could melt the insulation on the wire and lead to a fire.
Tamper resistant receptacles are a great alternative to child proof inserts. Child proof inserts can be popped off where tamper proof outlets look like a normal plug and cannot be tampered with by a child. Tamper resistant outlets also hold the cord plug of your device in snug so the prongs are not hanging out which is an electrical shock and fire hazard.
Remember that extension cords are not for permanent use. If you are using an extension cord outdoors make sure it is rated for being outside. It is also not safe to plug in multiple cords together and extensions cards should be unplugged when not in use and thrown away if they are damaged.
Having knowledge about electricity can help us to all stay safe. We can also help keep others safe by teaching electrical safety to our children at a young age