Electrical safety tips you need to know this winter

Space heaters

Space heaters can be a lifesaver if your home doesn’t have an adequate heating system, however without taking the proper caution they can lead to disaster.  Keep all space, or portable heaters at least 3 feet from all furniture, curtains, bedspreads, or clothes, and never leave the heater unattended.  Don’t forget to keep your heaters clean as well. Dust particles are flammable so be sure to vacuum out air vents and wipe down any surface that become hot

Kitchen Appliances

Crock pots are amazing! Set it and forget it and at dinner time you can have the perfect comfort food or winter meal waiting for you.  However, leaving your slow cooker or crock pot on while you are not home is a fire risk.  It’s also important to check all your other appliances for frayed or damaged cords and plug ins.

Carbon monoxide detectors/fire alarms

Carbon monoxide (CO) is odorless and deadly.  In low concentrations it can cause serious injury, and at high concentration can cause death.  Death by CO is more common in the winter than any other time of the year, due to the use of common fuels such as natural gas, wood and coal.

Equally as important are fire detectors/alarms.  Checking to make sure that they are still functioning by pressing the test button is crucial to knowing if the device needs to be replaced.  Now days you can get a handy dual fire alarm and CO detector in one that can easily be installed in ever living space in your home.

Overloaded Circuits

It’s that time of year for lights decorations and an extra heater in the living room, but do you know the limitations of your outlets and breakers? A 15Amp breaker is only capable of producing 1200 watts or 120Amps per circuit, with multiple lights and outlets existing on a single circuit.  So if you have a 1500watt space heater, it will certainly cause a 15amp breaker to trip.  If you’re planning on putting together a big light show, or add a couple heaters this winter, it would be a good idea to know the limitations of your home wiring.

Outdoor outlets

A bubble cover is a simple solution to ensure that your outdoor outlets stay protected from the weather and conditions that can damage your outdoor outlets.  You can find them in most home improvement stores, and they are simple to install.  If you aren’t sure a local Electrician will be happy to help.  Also, regarding outdoor outlets, it’s important that you use extension cords safely.  Check for any cuts or exposed wires, and make sure you are using the proper gauge extension cord for your needs, and electrical equipment.

For any Electrical concern you may have, don’t hesitate to ask!  We have professionals that would love to help.