The winters are here to grasp you into its icy grip, and to beat this freeze, running high-voltage electrical appliances is needed. Since electrical appliances are unpredictable, proper cautions are required.
We are here with nine electrical safety tips to follow during winters to prevent any mishaps and save your house from catching fire.
9 Winter Electrical Safety Tips
1. Use space heaters wisely
Space heaters generate a lot of heat, so we recommend not placing them on surfaces that can overheat and cause a fire. Also, when you plug your heaters in a wall outlet, ensure that you leave at least three feet of distance between the heater and your furniture, like sofas, to avoid causing a fire.
2. Avoid plugging space heaters into extension cords
Refrain from using an extension cord to plug space heaters because these cords are not designed to handle the high current passage that a space heater requires. If a high current passes through the cord, it will cause it to melt, burn, or catch fire.
A solution to this would be to plug your space heater into a wall outlet and avoid plugging anything else in the same outlet.
3. Don’t overload electrical outlets
One common mistake people make during the holidays is to plug multiple high voltage decorations into one wall outlet. This causes a short circuit which can lead to a house fire. Always practice plugging one high voltage decoration into each wall outlet to avoid overloading.
4. Beware of electric blankets
Electric blankets protect your body from the freezing winters by providing heat, but one of the potential risks it holds is overheating your body. Avoid sleeping with an electric blanket to minimize this risk.
5. Generator installations and repairs
If you have a portable generator, have a dedicated circuit for it so you can plug only the amount of voltage it can endure. Keep it far away from your house as it emits carbon monoxide, which is harmful to human health when breathed in because it deprives your heart, brain, and other organs of oxygen.
If you use a home generator, ensure that you run necessary checks and repairs before winter starts so that you are provided with power convenience during the snowstorms.
6. Protect your electrical cords
Keep your electrical cords away from the reach of your kids. Use plastic cups to cover electrical outlets to refrain them from sticking their fingers inside.
Never place the electrical cords where your pets can chew them and accidentally get an electric shock.
7. Placement of power strip and outlets need to be kept safe
Avoid hiding the electrical cords and power strips behind your furniture or rugs, as the heat could cause a spark and start a fire.
Cover electric cords and strips appropriately to decrease the likelihood of fraying wires.
8. Christmas light safety
Here are some Christmas light safety tips to follow to prevent any mishaps from happening:
- When you use electric lights for your Christmas tree, use a surge protector to avoid voltage spikes.
- Connect a maximum of three strands of string lights to one another and ensure that all strands have an equal number of bulbs in them.
- Get into the habit of plugging off the lights when you go outside or heading to bed.
- If you are decorating the outside of your house, ensure that you only use extension cords meant to power outdoor lights.
- Avoid electrical lights or decorations within ten feet of any power lines.
9. Leave installation and rewiring on the professionals
New electrical installations and rewiring need to be done with an agreement to the National Electrical Code, so leave it to the professionals to ensure that it is done correctly.
Conclusion
Some electrical hazards are avoidable when you are cautious. Prevent any fatal mishaps from happening by following these safety tips.
