10 Tips to Prevent Electrical Fires

1/18/2019 (Permalink)

A common cause of house fires is faulty electrical wiring. The following tips should be followed to prevent electrical fires. When in doubt, call an electrician.

1. Call an electrician to check the fuse box or breaker panel. Ask the electrician to correct any damaged components.
2. Call an electrician to inspect the wiring. Replace any old wiring if the electrician suggests you to do so and have him wrap any damaged portions of wiring with electrical tape temporarily.
3. Check for broken plugs or switches.
4. Do not overload any circuits. Limit the amount of appliances you use and plug only into an appropriate outlet. Note that in most homes, the electrical load on a home is greatest during the evening when family members are consuming electricity using several appliances: cooking; running the dishwasher; watching television in the living room; browsing the internet; listening to the radio; etc.
5. Avoid “octopus” connections, do not overload plugs.
6. Unplug appliances when not in use.
7. Use high quality and high standard electrical products when replacing wires or other components.
8. Do not use damaged appliances.
9. Install smoke and carbon dioxide alarms where required.
10. Do not plug too many appliances into one extension cord. Use only high quality approved extension cords that can handle the load.