Electrical Safety Audit – Identify Fire Hazards and Limit Your Risk

Home Safety and Security

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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