Electrical Safety Tips
Without a doubt, every Omaha resident sees protecting family as the most important job in life. Did you know that most accidents occur in the home? It's a fact, and that's why it's vital to secure all potential hazards in your house. According to the National Institutes of Health, roughly 1,000 fatalities occur in the United States every year due to electrocution, and most of these happen within the home. Extension cords, faulty wiring, ungrounded outlets, these are just a few of the electrical accidents waiting to happen in the home. Here are some tips on electrical safety from top electricians in Omaha on electrical safety and how to protect your family:
Room-by-room safety
The National Fire Protection Association reportedly responds to nearly 10,000 home structure fires involving electrical malfunction or failure every year, resulting in hundreds of deaths and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage. There are precautions you can take in every room of your house that can help protect you and your family from becoming another statistic.
Kitchen
If you're like most Omahans, your kitchen is the busiest room in your home. For this reason, though, it's also the place most home accidents happen, and appliances can be a big culprit. Make sure all appliances are unplugged when they're not in use. If your washer and dryer are in or around the kitchen area, make sure they're level on the floor to prevent movement. Be sure all electrical appliances, as well as their cords, are placed far from the sink and any other areas that can collect water. Keep potholders and other combustibles away from cooking areas.
Bathroom
Bathrooms run a very close second for electrical accidents in the home, as many electrical gadgets are used here on a daily basis. Make sure everyone in your family knows that electrical appliances used in the bathroom such as razors, hair dryers, electric rollers, and curling irons must be unplugged at all times when they are not in use. An even better idea is to make a rule that all such electrical gadgets must be kept out of the bathroom when not being used.
Living room, bedroom, and family room
If you must use extension cords, make sure they are out of the path of all traffic. Purchase Velcro straps or encasements to keep extension cords and cables secured together to ensure that they don't get in anyone's way. Never run cords or cables across doorways. Electric blankets can be a hazard, if they're not in good working order. Toss out any electrical blanket that has breaks in components such as the plugs, connectors, or wires. Keep furniture from resting on electrical cords, as these can compromise electrical current. Always put lamps and other such appliances on level surfaces.
All over the house
Many electrical hazards are not just confined to a specific area of the house, but can occur in just about any room in the house. Make sure every outlet in your Omaha home is protected by ground fault circuit interrupters, or 'GFCI,' and test them on a regular basis. If any outlets are not grounded, contact a licensed electrician in Omaha to have these installed. If you must use portable heaters, keep them away from combustibles such as curtains, blankets, and papers. Make sure all electrical appliances are placed on level surfaces. Replace damaged or loose electrical cords, and always follow the manufacturer's instructions for plugging appliances into outlets.
Child safety
Children are naturally curious about everything, and electrical outlets and appliances can be at the top of the list. To protect your children from electrical hazards, the first step is education. When your children are small, always cover outlets with durable child-protective socket covers. If possible, hide outlets behind furniture. Teach children from the start to stay away from electrical outlets and appliances, and never leave them alone with appliances. As they get older, teach them to never touch any electrical equipment of any kind with wet hands or while near or standing in water. Explain the extreme dangers of power lines to your children. Instruct them to never go near power lines, and especially to stay away from downed power lines.
Making sure your Omaha home is free of electrical hazards is vital to your family's safety. Become acquainted with your home's electrical system, and follow important safety tips to ensure the security of every member of your household. Never try to repair any electrical wiring without the proper education and licensing. For more safety information, repairs, and maintenance of any part of your home's electrical system, contact one of Omaha's top electricians for assistance.
Room-by-room safety
The National Fire Protection Association reportedly responds to nearly 10,000 home structure fires involving electrical malfunction or failure every year, resulting in hundreds of deaths and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage. There are precautions you can take in every room of your house that can help protect you and your family from becoming another statistic.
Kitchen
If you're like most Omahans, your kitchen is the busiest room in your home. For this reason, though, it's also the place most home accidents happen, and appliances can be a big culprit. Make sure all appliances are unplugged when they're not in use. If your washer and dryer are in or around the kitchen area, make sure they're level on the floor to prevent movement. Be sure all electrical appliances, as well as their cords, are placed far from the sink and any other areas that can collect water. Keep potholders and other combustibles away from cooking areas.
Bathroom
Bathrooms run a very close second for electrical accidents in the home, as many electrical gadgets are used here on a daily basis. Make sure everyone in your family knows that electrical appliances used in the bathroom such as razors, hair dryers, electric rollers, and curling irons must be unplugged at all times when they are not in use. An even better idea is to make a rule that all such electrical gadgets must be kept out of the bathroom when not being used.
Living room, bedroom, and family room
If you must use extension cords, make sure they are out of the path of all traffic. Purchase Velcro straps or encasements to keep extension cords and cables secured together to ensure that they don't get in anyone's way. Never run cords or cables across doorways. Electric blankets can be a hazard, if they're not in good working order. Toss out any electrical blanket that has breaks in components such as the plugs, connectors, or wires. Keep furniture from resting on electrical cords, as these can compromise electrical current. Always put lamps and other such appliances on level surfaces.
All over the house
Many electrical hazards are not just confined to a specific area of the house, but can occur in just about any room in the house. Make sure every outlet in your Omaha home is protected by ground fault circuit interrupters, or 'GFCI,' and test them on a regular basis. If any outlets are not grounded, contact a licensed electrician in Omaha to have these installed. If you must use portable heaters, keep them away from combustibles such as curtains, blankets, and papers. Make sure all electrical appliances are placed on level surfaces. Replace damaged or loose electrical cords, and always follow the manufacturer's instructions for plugging appliances into outlets.
Child safety
Children are naturally curious about everything, and electrical outlets and appliances can be at the top of the list. To protect your children from electrical hazards, the first step is education. When your children are small, always cover outlets with durable child-protective socket covers. If possible, hide outlets behind furniture. Teach children from the start to stay away from electrical outlets and appliances, and never leave them alone with appliances. As they get older, teach them to never touch any electrical equipment of any kind with wet hands or while near or standing in water. Explain the extreme dangers of power lines to your children. Instruct them to never go near power lines, and especially to stay away from downed power lines.
Making sure your Omaha home is free of electrical hazards is vital to your family's safety. Become acquainted with your home's electrical system, and follow important safety tips to ensure the security of every member of your household. Never try to repair any electrical wiring without the proper education and licensing. For more safety information, repairs, and maintenance of any part of your home's electrical system, contact one of Omaha's top electricians for assistance.