Simply put: diligently practicing electrical safety tips can prevent many electrical fires. In as much as we love electricity and its many benefits—keeping us warm, making our homes bright at night, letting us use all of our devices and so many more—it isn’t without risks. Being aware of what those risks are and then, consistently practicing these electrical safety tips we’ll discuss below will go a long way towards keeping you, your loved ones and your home safe.

1) Make sure you’re using the proper wattage in your appliances and fixtures

Using the right bulb is one of the most effective electrical safety tips there is as doing so will prevent most electrical problems. And so, you must always make sure that you check all the appliances and fixtures to make sure that you’re using the appropriate wattage. And if a light fixture does not have any wattage listed, go for 60-watt bulbs or even less.

2) Be wary of overloaded outlets

Another electrical safety tip that you must always remember is to avoid overloaded outlets. A typical cause of electrical problems in homes and businesses all across the United States, this can easily be avoided if you check all outlets and make sure that those are cool to the touch, have protective faceplates and are in great condition. Here are several electrical safety tips that involve electrical outlets:

• • Avoid using extension cords or multi-outlet converters for appliances.
  • Only plug one heat-producing appliance into an outlet at one time.

• Have hot outlets checked by professional electricians.
• Bear in mind that power strips only add outlets—they do not change the amount of power the outlet receives.
• Smart plugs can be utilized to keep track of outlet power loads and even turn off appliances should an outlet start to overheat.

3) Always observe this electrical safety tip: replace or repair damaged electrical cords

Broken or beat-up power cords pose a serious electrical safety threat to either your home or business as they can possibly lead to fires and even electrocution. Hence, I have always found it prudent to regularly check all power and extension cords for signs of damage. If ever you find any, you must have them either repaired or replaced right away. Another important tip that I must impart is that power cords should never be stapled into place or installed under rugs or the furniture as these could either cause people to trip or worse, can overheat and lead to a fire.

Also, if you are constantly using extension cords, this means that you may not have sufficient outlets to fulfill your needs. For this, I strongly recommend that you get in touch with a professional electrician who understands the nuances of electrical safety and can properly install additional outlets in areas where you really need them. Lastly, if you’re buying a power cord, you should consider the electrical load that it would carry—a cord that has a load of 16 AWG can handle as much as 1,375 watts. For heavier loads, you should consider using a 14 or 12 AWG cord.

4) Electrical safety tip to keep your kids and pets away from harm: keep your unused cords secure

Electrical safety tips are not just applied to electrical power cords that you are using; these also apply to those that aren’t. Electrical power cords that aren’t in use should be kept safely to prevent these from getting damaged. More importantly, these have to be stored so that your kids and pets won’t be able to either play or chew on them.

Your safety and that of your loved ones and your home is of paramount importance. If you need professional electrical services, get in touch with Fusion Electricity—a locally owned and operated, registered Johnson County, KS electrician in Overland Park that is insured to serve the entire Kansas City Metro area. Visit their website at https://www.fusionkc.com/.