Electrical Safety Audit – Identify Fire Hazards and Limit Your Risk

You and everyone in your household probably use more items that are powered by electricity than ever before. Blame “progress.” We now desire, if not need, more electronic appliances to assist us with everyday living. Many items that were once thought a luxury are now necessities… like computers.

Over 450 electrical house fires happen every day, says the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. People are injured and in those worst cases, lives are lost. Property losses are estimated at $1.1 billion a year. Safety experts urge consumers to inspect their homes and apartments for electrical hazards.

Although, today’s appliances and electronics are more energy efficient than earlier versions, there are more of them spread around the house. Even your smart phones and other necessities that run on batteries need to be plugged in and recharged. Look around the house and count how many chargers you have and how many other plugs, extension cords, or plugs in power surge protectors that now occupy those once unused wall outlets.

Everyone should take the time to do an Electrical Safety Audit to look for issues that could trigger another house fire.

Here are some quick tips to spot and correct possible fire safety issues that might happen due to electrical products and before they occur:

Check your smoke alarms every six months.
Identify any loose or frayed cords on any electrical devices and replace them if they cannot be repaired.
Put your hand on or near outlets and on-off switches. If they feel warm, you should shut off the circuit and have a professional and licensed electrician check your electrical system.
Don’t overload outlets.
Plug only one high-wattage appliance into each outlet.
When you have an option, use a three-pronged plug. These plugs are designed to ground electricity with the third prong and this protects you and your electronics.
Control your use of extension cords. They are meant to be used as a temporary fix, and not part of a permanent solution.
Review your set up and if you don’t need the extra length, remove the extension cord and use the original cord only.
Don’t hide any cords, extension or otherwise, under rugs.
Find those warm or hot cover plates over electrical outlets that often cover an unsafe wiring and bring in an electrician to inspect things. 
If you have flickering lights even after you change bulbs or replace the lamp in question, then you may have a wiring issue that should be looked at by an electrician.

You don’t need to be an expert to inspect your home for potential dangers. If you find that you need to bring in an Electrician, you will be grateful he fixed things that could have posed dangers. Perform this simple Electrical Safety Audit for the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are doing what you can to remove electrical hazards that could trigger a house fire and endanger your family.

If you need an electrician to help you repair your electrical system, click here for local pre-screened high quality professionals.

For more information visit the US Consumer Product Safety Commission site www.cpsc.gov

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Do-it-yourself baby-proofing during the hectic holiday season

Do you have a new baby? Congratulations! Now that the newborn is about to experience his or her first holiday, it is important to keep them safe. A crawl-happy baby can be a menace when it comes to holiday decorations, so it is best to take part in some DIY projects that can ensure the baby is safe.

If you own a Christmas tree, ensure that it is secured in its position. This is vital, as with all of the distractions involving the holidays, a baby may get a free few seconds here and there to roam free. Having a tree that isn't covered in heavy ornaments and is not easy to knock over is recommended when having a young child around.

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Keeping your home safe during the holiday season

Many homeowners host large events around the holidays, and typically, the home can be pretty busy. These are fun times for families, but it may be a good idea to make sure the home is safe for everyone. According to Popular Mechanics, it's advised to perform a few good DIY projects to ensure the home has no issues that could lead to someone getting hurt.

When it comes to home safety, it is important to make sure the outside is tackled first. Fixing walkways can be very important, as there may be loose bricks and other items that can come undone from their positions, Popular Mechanics said. These can be generally fixed in under an hour. In addition, if there is a light bulb out that would hurt a family member's chances of getting from the car to the home, go change it. It's very easy, and it will help ensure guests avoid injury in your residence.

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How to safely disposed of old prescription drugs

Pills w bottles Along side my Tylenol, Aleve and Advil, vials of expired prescription drugs like: Diclofenac; Oxycodone; Alprazolam; and Naproxen, among others, have accumulated. I need to dispose of these medications safely but it is not as simple as just tossing them out with the trash or down the toilet. There are guidelines that help protect our children, pets and drinking water.

I am a healthy middle-aged adult who has had what most would consider the normal aches, pains and injuries over the years. As such, I have amassed quite the collection of medications in the form of pills, tablets and ointments. Outside of my regimen of baby aspirin at night and the occasional over-the-counter headache and painkillers, I don’t (currently) need any prescription drugs taking up space in my medicine cabinet.

I am very good about following instructions from my doctor when I am told to take my prescription until it is complete (your antibiotics, for example, should be taken through the term prescribed even if you start to feel better before all the pills are gone). But there have been plenty of meds that I had for pain or as a sleep aid, etc. where I took only what I needed and subsequently I have leftovers. I was given a week’s supply and only (thankfully) needed to take a couple of day’s worth. The prescription drugs are usually very expensive and the thought of throwing out those last few pills was painful (so to speak) so on the shelf they stayed. I could not bring myself to dispose of the costly medicines.

In the process of cleaning up recently, I found medications from illnesses and injuries spanning 10 or more years. Some have been taken off the market since they were prescribed oh so long ago. I even found a prescription left over from my dog’s injured paw of 3 years ago. It was time to dispose of my mini-

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Home safety tips: Keeping the dryer clean and lint-free

Many homeowners may think that cleaning their dryer's lint screen is annoying, but an article from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission states those who own the appliance can and should be taking certain precautions related to the screen.

Whether you do it before or after a cycle, it is absolutely vital to clean the lint screen, the government organization noted. In addition, if there isn't much air coming out of the dryer exhaust outside, it's really important to give it a good cleaning. This may include disconnecting the dryer duct, but it will be worth it later - no need to increase the risk of a fire starting in your home, don't you agree?

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