 | James Seward is the owner & operator of Seward Electric in Pittsburg. For more information or to reach James please call 620-232-1696. |
Construction
2011-12-27 13:43:41
Home electrical safety
Q: Recently, I foolishly tried to clean the oven with a wet rag while it was still plugged into the wall. In the process, I was electrocuted when I hit a place where the oven light was broken off sheer with the wet rag. The good jolt certainly reminded me how lax I have gotten in electrical safety.
Can you give a quick refresher course so others don’t make my stupid
mistake?
A: Each year many Americans are injured or killed in and around their homes
because of carelessness around electricity. Following are some simple
precautions that can prevent personal injury and property damage:
1. All outlets in the home should be the three-pronged type. Replace all
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 three 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. 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. Do not let children play around the electrical poles or panels
outside the house.
8. Do not 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. Do not obstruct the flow of air around appliances like the television, refrigerator and microwave.
12. Unplug all appliances before cleaning.
13. Use Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI) at outlets near water, such as spas.
14. Have a multi-purpose fire extinguisher at hand, near your electrical panel.
Lastly, electrical panels should be examined by an electrician at least once a year. Connections in the panel constantly heat up when the power usage is at a high, and cool off again when the power consumption is low.
The changes in temperatures cause the connections in the panel to expand and contract, loosening them and causing a potential fire hazard. This dangerous situation can be avoided by having your main and sub panels checked at least once a year by a competent electrician.
