Four Ways You Can Prevent Home Electrical Fires

One of the biggest things with home electrical fires is the fact that most of them are preventable when the proper safety measures are in place. As a general rule, there are steps that you can take in your home right at this moment. You can minimize the chance of a tragedy occurring in your home by simply taking proper care of your electrical outlets, devices, etc. So, keep reading to learn a few things you can do.

Avoid Overloading Your Electrical Outlets

When it comes to your outlets, the last thing you want is to be using extension cords on a permanent basis. The circuits connected to your outlets are designed to only relay a certain amount of power, and if they have a lot of power strips and extension cords connected to them, it will overload them. Believe it or not, this is a common reason for electrical fires. Use surge protectors that are equipped with internal circuit breakers so that power will be cut off automatically if necessary, and avoid plugging too many devices into one outlet.

Install GFCI Outlets Around Water

Any area that has water needs to have a GFCI outlet installed near it. These are known as ground fault circuit interrupters. These are heavier duty outlets that have two buttons (test and reset). If these outlets ever sense any level of moisture, they are designed to cut off any supply of power. If you do not currently have any GFCI outlets in your bathrooms, kitchen, laundry room, etc., you will want to contact an electrical contractor to have them installed.

Keep Flammable Items Away from Outlets

You will want to ensure that you do not place any furniture, decorations, curtains, or any other item that is flammable too close to an electrical outlet. You may not realize it, but the majority of outlets produce a certain amount of heat that you cannot see. If these outlets are overloaded or faulty, they will produce more heat, generate sparks, and potentially cause a fire to start.

Get Rid of Older Appliances

Appliances can be quite costly, so you will want to use them until they are on their last leg. However, as appliances get older, they may begin to malfunction. Unfortunately, this can lead to a fire starting in your home. Therefore, you need to be on the lookout for any signs of your appliances wearing out so that you can dispose of them in a safe manner and replace them with a newer model. Some signs that you should look for include fraying cords, sparks when being turned on, and lights flickering when being turned on.

For more information, contact an electrician.