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Put
electrical safety at the top of your resolutions list
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November 2011
Protecting your family from electrical shocks, tripping hazards and house fires is easier to do than losing 20 pounds or quitting smoking. So make it New Year’s resolution No. 1.
Here are 10 simple ways to keep that resolution from the Energy Education Council:
1. Inspect your outlets. Loose-fitting plugs can surprise someone with a shock or even start a fire. If your wall place is broken, replace it so wires won’t be exposed. And insert plastic safety caps into unused outlets if your family includes young children.
2. Make peace with plugs. If a plug doesn’t comfortably fit into an outlet, don’t force it. Try a different plug. And never remove the grounding pin (third prong) so a three‐prong plug will fit into a two‐prong outlet.
3. Be careful with cords. They’re not designed to last forever. Toss frayed or cracked cords. And move them out from under carpets or rugs, where they endure constant pounding that can rip them or wear them out—exposing you to fire from overheated wires.
4. Pack up extension cords. They’re fine for connecting strands of holiday lights together and for helping decorations reach plugs during December. But come Jan. 1, pack them up and store them. Extension cords are designed for temporary use.
5. Watch your wattage. The light bulbs in your lamps and overhead fixtures should match the specifications on those fixtures. A bulb whose wattage is too high can overheat.
6. Find no fault. Ground-fault circuit interrupters, or GFCIs, are a must in every outlet in the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, basement, garage and outdoors. If water could touch electricity, you need GFCIs on every outlet in the room.
7. Fuss with your fuses. If you don’t know whether your fuses are the right size for the circuit they’re protecting, call an electrician, who can clue you in.
8. Adjust appliances. If a circuit trips every time you plug in your hair dryer, or if your coffee maker has ever shocked you when you plugged it in, you either have faulty appliances or an overloaded circuit. An electrician can identify and solve your problem.
9. Upgrade the wiring. Faulty electrical wires start many house fires. If you hear popping or sizzling sounds behind the walls or if light switches feel hot, do not use those fixtures or switches until a licensed electrician has replaced them.
10. Get what you need. Unless you live in a brand-new house, you probably are using more electricity than the builder ever dreamed you would. Call an electrician to determine whether your home needs more electrical capacity.
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