Over
25,000 electrical fires are reported annually in the United States, resulting
in death or injury to more than 1,300 people.
HERE ARE 5 ways to prevent electrical fires
Beware of
overloading outlets. Overburdened sockets represent one of the risk factors for
an electrical fire.
If
you've never inspected your home's electrical wiring, now is the time. Over 25,000 electrical fires are reported
annually in the United States, resulting in death or injury to more than 1,300
people, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Home electrical fires result in greater dollar
loss per fire than nonelectrical fires. Even more startling: almost all those
fires could have been prevented by taking a few simple steps, including:
Inspect electrical
wiring
If
you have an older home, hire a highly rated electrician to inspect the wiring.
Electrical wiring is not meant to last forever, so if your home is a century
old, it's overdue to be rewired. This is
especially true if your home has aluminum wiring, which is more fire-prone
than copper wiring. According to the Copper Development Association, all
modern homes should have 12 American Wire Gauge (AWG) solid copper wiring
installed to meet the demands of today's appliances. If your home has the
thinner 14-AWG, hire a reputable, appropriately trained and licensed
electrician to inspect and make recommendations.
Examine
appliances and electronic equipment for old and broken plugs and cords
Faulty
wiring is one of the main causes of electrical fires. If you find anything
that's frayed, tattered, or worn out, replace it with new wiring. Cords in poor
condition can overheat or cause sparks and start a fire. For appliances, you
can usually buy replacement cords.
Check that
electrical sockets aren't overburdened
Overloading
is a common cause of electrical fires. This
happens when you plug too many appliances into the same outlet, extension cord
or power strip. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends buying power strips
equipped with internal overload protection, in which a strip is shut off if it
becomes overloaded.
Keep flammable
materials away from electrical appliances and outlets
Portable
electric space heaters are especially dangerous, but don't overlook irons, hair
dryers or irons, and even lamps. Any electrical appliance can start a fire if
it makes contact with flammable materials, including blankets, towels and rugs.
Don't hide cables, especially extension cords, under rugs or carpets. If
overheated, they can easily start a fire.
Fix shorts and
faulty wiring as soon possible
Unless
it's something as simple as replacing a cord, fixing shorts and faulty wiring
requires the expertise of an electrician. Faulty wiring symptoms include
flickering lamps, plugs that spark when you plug something in, breakers that
constantly trip, and "buzzing" outlets. All these can cause sparks,
which can quickly cause a fire. While you're at it, make sure to replace or
eliminate any wire, connection, extension cord or fuse box that feels warm;
warmth in these cases usually indicates a faulty or unsafe wiring connection.
It can also mean that too much current is running through the circuits, which
could cause an overload and result in a fire.