OWL Shares Electrical Safety Tips

To help avoid electrical accidents, take a few moments to look around your home for hazards and correct them. Practicing electrical safety is a straightforward way to prevent electrical fires. For example, electrical cords pinched behind furniture, or under rugs, laptops and phones charging on beds or sofas and overloaded outlets expose you and your family to fire.

Don’t Connect Extension Cords to Power Strips or Overload Circuits

Fires often start when too many things are plugged into a single outlet, causing an overload. Another frequent cause is using extension cords designed for temporary use; however, they often get left in place permanently and forgotten. Add that with appliances that generate heat like space heaters, irons, and toasters.

Keep Furniture from Pinching Cords; Use Correct Wattage Light Bulbs

A cord can quickly become pinched by heavy furniture and eventually lead to a fire. Don’t run cords underneath rugs; it’s both a trip and a fire hazard. Unplug appliances by grasping the plug; don’t pull the cord. Use the correct wattage light bulbs in lamps and fixtures.

Know the Warning Signs

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you have warning signs such as arcs, sparks, or short circuits. Other warning signs include hearing a buzzing or sizzling sound or smelling a faint burning odor. Firefighters can use thermal imaging technology to see excessive heat inside the walls.

Call a professional electrician soon if you have any of these warning signs:

• Frequently blown fuses or tripped circuit breakers
• Dim or flickering lights, bulbs that wear out too fast
• Overheated plugs, cords, or switches
• Shock or mild tingle – more than ordinary static electricity
• Loose outlets or unusually warm or faulty outlets or switches

Hire a Licensed Electrician

Hire a licensed electrician who knows the code. Resist doing your own electrical work or hiring a handy neighbor or your brother-in-law unless you or they are licensed electricians.

Don’t Charge Your Cell Phone or Laptop in Bed

There have been several fires from cell phones charging underneath pillows and laptops left running on top of the bed covers. Cell phones and laptops are constantly processing when running or charging. Blocking or covering them can prevent air from cooling the batteries and lead to a fire. Failures of lithium-ion batteries are more likely to occur during recharging. Users should charge these devices while on a hard surface.