May is National Electrical Safety Month!
Don’t Overload Your Home
Image courtesy of ESFI.org
According to the National Fire Protection Association, 47,700 home fires in the U.S. are caused by electrical failures or malfunctions each year. These fires result in 418 deaths, 1,570 injuries, and $1.4 billion in property damage. Overloaded electrical circuits are a major cause of residential fires. Help lower your risk of electrical fires by not overloading your electrical system.”
Overloaded circuit warning signs:
- Flickering, blinking, or dimming lights
- Frequently tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses
- Warm or discolored wall plates
- Cracking, sizzling, or buzzing from receptacles
- Burning odor coming from receptacles or wall switches
- Mild shock or tingle from appliances, receptacles, or switches
How to prevent electrical overloads:
- Never use extension cords or multi-outlet converters for appliances
- All major appliances should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. Only plug one heat producing appliance into a receptacle outlet at a time
- A heavy reliance on extension cords is an indication that you have too few outlets to address your needs. Have a qualified electrician inspect your home and add new outlets
- Power strips only add additional outlets; they do not change the amount of power being received from the outlet
What to do should you have a problem. Contact us at Brubaker Inc. at 717.299.5641 or email us to schedule a service call and we will schedule a visit by one of our electrical service technicians to solve any electrical problem that you might have and answer any electrical questions for you.
Sources:
1. Don’t Overload your Home ESFI.com, March 29, 2016
2. Fuse and Breaker Breakdown ESFI.com, April 9, 2015
3. Switch to Safety ESFI.com, April 8, 2015
4. Reaching to Safety: Use Extension Cords Properly ESFI.com, March 29, 2016
5. Consumer Product Safety Commission March 10, 2003
6. What Bulb Works Best for Your Home? ESFI.com, April 6, 2015