Electrical Safety In The Home

In this blog post, we would like to talk about electrical safety in the home. We feel this is a really important topic at all times, but especially the case when so many people are at home during the lockdown. Every home uses electricity, but how good is your electrical safety in the home?

Let’s look at some places that you need to be very aware of electrical safety in the home.

Kitchen Safety

The kitchen is a really common place for a fire to start. You must follow basic ground rules for safety. For example, never mix water and electricity. However, in the kitchen, there are a lot of opportunities for the two to mix. Ensure you keep simple good habits to avoid this mix and a potential fire.

If installing sockets or switches into your kitchen, make sure these are installed at least 30cms from the sink. This will help avoid the risk of water and electricity mixing. Any appliances installed beneath worktops should have a separate fuse circuit. This will enable you to turn them off in case of an emergency.

Cables and Leads

We all have cables and leads in our home. These are attached to numerous things such as the TV, alarm clocks, stereos, game stations, kettles, toasters, bedside lamps and more. Always check these leads and cables are in a good condition with no damage or breakages. Do not plug too many items into the extension lead as this can be a huge fire risk. Try to avoid wrapping wires around electrical appliances, especially when they are still hot or even warm.

Nearly everyone has an extension lead in their homes, using 4-way adaptors to increase the number of appliances that they can plug into a wall socket.

However, although there is space to plug in four appliances, this does not mean it is always safe to do so.

You can avoid overloading sockets and risk of fire by following this simple advice:

Always check the current rating of the extension lead before plugging appliances into it. Most are rated at 13 A, but some are rated at only 10 A or less – the rating should be clearly marked on the back or of the extension lead.

Never overload an extension lead by plugging in appliances that together will exceed the maximum current rating stated for the extension lead. This could cause the plug in the wall socket to overheat and possibly cause a fire.

Try this socket calculator to see if you are exceeding the maximum load.

Garden Safety

Many of us are enjoying the time off to get out in the garden, but you need to ensure you are using your tools safely in the garden too. While electric lawnmowers and strimmers make light work of mowing the lawn, they can be dangerous. If your grass is wet when using an electrical mower this can result in an electric shock.

When working in the garden with electrical tools make sure you have minimal distractions, the ground you are working on is dry, children are not near the items and cables are kept away from the machine blades. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

DIY Electrical Repairs

The subject of DIY electrical repairs is a tricky topic. While some people feel confident in completing simple home repairs; it is important to remember that 50% of electric shocks occur while a DIY home repair is taking place. Where possible leave all DIY electrical repairs in the home to an experienced and professional electrician. This is for the safety of you, your home and your family.

We are all spending more time in our homes at present; make sure your home and electrics are safe!

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