Perhaps the most important job of a professional electrician is creating electrical safety in buildings. This is part of basic code compliance, but it’s also common sense. Electrical systems with poor installation or amateur repairs can create fires and dangerous electrical shocks.
You can trust our licensed electricians to help with the repairs and replacements to improve electrical safety in your home. There are also some basic electrical safety tips to follow that will help you and your family remain safe. We’ve listed the important ones below.
Top Home Electrical Safety Tips
- Be cautious with electrical appliances near water: One of the most common reasons for high-voltage shocks in homes is electrical appliances coming into contact with water. Be extra cautious with plugged-in bathroom appliances (hairdryers, electric shavers) anywhere near a tub of water or full sink. If you drop one of these appliances into the water, unplug it first before retrieving it.
- Cover outlets: We hope you already know you shouldn’t stick your fingers or anything else into an electric outlet. To make sure children don’t do this, put in outlet covers or have electricians install special safety outlets.
- Unplug it if it sparks: When a plugged-in appliance begins to spark, unplug it right away and don’t use it again.
- Install GFCI outlets: This relates to the above. An appliance that threatens to cause electrical shocks won’t pose a problem if the home has GFCI outlets that immediately shut off when there’s a threat of a high-voltage shock.
- Rewire rather than use too many extension cords: Older homes often don’t have enough outlets to easily handle the number of electrical appliances. The solution for years was webs of long extension cords. But extension cords can’t always handle the electrical loads, and they also turn into tripping hazards. We recommend scheduling service with a professional electrician to re-wire your house and add additional outlets.
- Replaced damaged wires and cords immediately: A “small” exposed or frayed patch on a wire or cord is a big electrical fire threat, and may also cause short circuits and shocks. Get rid of these damaged wires right away.
- Avoid outlet overload: The old “octopus plugs” for outlets that allow for more appliances to be plugged into the outlet are outdated. When too many items are plugged into a socket, it can overload the outlet and create sparks. Power strips are a safer option, since they come with circuit breakers. If you still have too many items plugged in, have electricians put in more outlets.
- Don’t pull on the cord: The short-cut of pulling a plug from an outlet is to yank on the cord. But this can easily loosen the cord from the plastic housing of the plug and become dangerous. Grip on the plastic housing whenever you unplug a cord.
Remember, when in doubt, call for professional electricians in Buffalo, NY to handle repairs, replacements, or other services to make your home safer. We offer 24/7 emergency service—you can depend on us when it counts the most.
Call Scherer Electric for any electrical service your home needs. Western New York’s Favorite Electrician!
