Home Electrical Safety Checklist

Electrical-related accidents happen at home that quickly escalates into a house fire. According to a survey, around 12,000 house fires occur in Australia every year and around 50–60 people die in accidents like this. It sure is deadly and uncontrollable, however, it can easily be prevented by simply being diligent, educated, and cautious.

Who is most vulnerable to electrical-related house fires?

In many cases, most old houses are vulnerable to electrical issues as their wirings must be from a very long time ago. Unless it is regularly inspected by an electrician Northern Beaches.

Homeowners nowadays increasingly buy more appliances and most are kept running 24/7. These days, most households have upgraded to smart TV’s, bought gaming devices, computers, and other devices. However, older homes are not prepared for this sudden rise in energy usage. Therefore, it should go through the necessary electrical safety inspection first to ensure that it will not overwhelm the energy capacity of the house.

Ways to prevent electricity-related accidents

Electrical safety checklists are everywhere and they mostly have the same contents, just different ways of crafting it per word. To keep yourself aware of easy ways to prevent electricity-related incidents, all you have to do is remain informed.

As prevention is always better than cure, we collated 5 easy ways to help you avoid these possible incidents and keep your family safe at home.

Check all your cords & plugs

Check all cords, plugs, surge protectors and extension cords. Know how to look for frayed casings, exposed wires or broken components. If you found one, right on the open, don’t touch it. It is always better to shut your power source first and call a professional electrician immediately. Another thing that you must not do is to never put extension cords under your carpets. Make sure to also not overload an extension cord or a wall outlet.

Take care of your appliances

Always remember to place heat-producing appliances away from flammable items such as papers, napkins, potholders, and more. Make sure to unplug all appliances when not in use, especially when you are not at home. Also, keep your exhaust fan free of grease, lint, and other obstructions, as well as your air conditioner. Make cleaning a habit. Meanwhile, there are also reports that the majority of house fires happen in the kitchen and are caused by cooking-related activities. To prevent this from happening, stay in the kitchen while you are cooking. You can also use a timer to remind you that you have something in the kitchen.

Installation and usage of light bulbs

Lighting sources such as light bulbs are also one of those responsible for house fires. Accidents that involve light bulbs happen when it is improperly installed, or the bulb suddenly overheats due to faulty wirings, damaged cords, or a different wattage was needed for a specific socket.

Install GCFIs in your home

Ground-fault circuit interrupters or GCFIs can reduce the risk of shock by shutting off an electrical circuit when the circuit could be a shock hazard. It is highly recommended to be installed in your kitchen, bathroom, laundry, basement, garage, and other areas where exposure to moisture is possible. It has the ability to constantly monitor the electrical current and automatically turns off the circuit if it detects any abnormality in the flow of electricity. This safety device has been widely used in Australia to help prevent home electrocutions. It is deemed effective and inexpensive.

Call a qualified electrician

If you have been experiencing frequent problems with any of your electrical devices, discoloured outlets, tripping circuit breakers, a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance, sparks from an outlet or flickering or dimming lights, as well as installation and electrical confusions, it is always best to call a qualified electrician to personally look at your concerns. They can also give you safety tips and advice on how to keep your house safe from all electrical-related incidents. So, for any doubts, just immediately call your trusted local electrician.

Keeping your home safe

There are numerous ways to keep your home and family safe. But as electrical incidents could always happen when you least expect it, the best approach is to follow a safety checklist that can be verified by your trusted electrician. Also, make sure to maintain a scheduled electrical inspection to avoid having to deal with bigger problems in the future. Doing those will definitely bring you and your family the peace of mind while at home.