Did you know there are more than 25,000 electrical fires reported each year in the United States? It’s true, and the most common causes of these fires is the mishandling of electrical devices. Any time electricity is involved, safety is paramount. Even a small mistake can leave you with serious property damage – or worse.

This is why it is so important to use a few tips and words of advice to avoid this situation. Keep reading to find out what you can do to protect your home and family.

Don’t Overburden Your Outlets

While most people have quite a few appliances and electrical devices in their home, it’s crucial they avoid plugging in too many things at once. The fact is, circuits are only designed to handle a certain load. Unfortunately, they can’t stop you from plugging in “one more thing.” If an outlet is overburdened it may easily catch on fire. If you find that you need more plugs in your home, then use a surge protector, or have more outlets installed by a professional.

Watch Your Outlets Near a Water Source

Garages, utility rooms and kitchens all need to be equipped with the ground fault circuit interrupters, or GFCI, outlets. These are the ones that are safe to use near water sources because they will turn off if water comes in contact with the electrical components.

Don’t Leave Your Electrical Devices Unattended

This does not mean that you have to constantly stand guard over your television or computer; however, it is a good idea to avoid leaving other things – like your space heater – plugged in and running when there’s no one in the room. This is also true for your kitchen appliances. After all, the kitchen is the number one place where home fires begin.

Don’t Leave Flammable Items Near Heat Sources, Outlets or Cords

Make sure you are aware of where your carpet or drapes may fall close to electrical devices. Electricity is going to generate heat. While in most cases this will be mild, even a steady flow of warmth can result in something flammable igniting if it is left alone for too long.

Throw Out any Malfunctioning or Under-Performing Appliances

Have you noticed that your box fan sparks each time you plug it in? Or does your microwave trip a breaker each time it’s run? If so, then you need to get rid of the offending item. Any item like this is essentially a time bomb that’s just waiting to go off. Just because there isn’t anything that has gone wrong yet, it doesn’t mean that nothing is going to go wrong. This is why they are referred to as “accidents.”

If you want to prevent the possibility of a fire in your home, then be sure to adhere to the tips and information found here. You can also consult with a professional, who can provide more tips and information on how to keep yourself and your home safe and accident free.