Since the discovery of electricity in the 1900s, it has proved to be an essential source of a clean and controlled form of energy.
It has become so prevalent in our daily life that now we have started to neglect its presence in our daily lives.
We are so much surrounded by electricity, but do we give enough thought about safety regarding the usage of power. The voltage of electricity we deal with in our daily life is enough to cause death to a normal human being by electrocution. We get a supply of around 120-240 volts (AC) in our houses.
According to a report by the National Fire Protection Association, an electrical malfunction causes an average of 47,820 house fires annually (the YEAR 2007-2011).
Malfunction by equipment involved in Home fires Percentage of involvement
- Electrical distribution and lighting equipment-50%
- Cooking equipment-15%
- Heating equipment-9%
- Fan-6%
- Air conditioner-3%
- Clothes dryer-3%
- Other known equipment-12%
These home fires cause around 1.3 $ worth damage to property; in addition to that, it causes around 500 deaths and 1,400 injuries per year on an average.
To prevent these scenarios, you must take specific safety measures to ensure the safety of our home and family.
Tips for electrical safety for our houses
Avoid contact with live circuits: – Live household circuits contain an AC of around 120-240 volts. In certain conditions, 120 Volts current is enough to cause severe damage to our body. Contact with the live and naked circuit is one of the biggest reasons for electrocution, which may cause severe injury or even death. It is no joke to play around live circuits; if something serious happens, you might not even get a second chance.
Use proper quality wiring: – In major house fire scenarios, the leading cause of ignition is the faulty wiring in the house. To prevent such incidents, one should use good quality wiring like bulk wire. A check of wiring distribution is also recommended at a regular interval of time; you must replace every faulty or exposed wiring immediately. If you see chipped off protected coating at any place, make sure to replace it or cover it with protective tape.
Baby proof every reachable electrical outlet: – Toddlers and small children are explores in the house; they don’t know what is harmful to them. To ensure their safety, you should cover every electrical with tamper-resistance safety caps. With that, tie up every loose cord to keep it away from the reach of kids.
Install smoke Detectors: – These play an important role in warning of initial fires, which could go undetected in many cases. One should install Smoke detectors on every level of the house, inside every room, especially in the kitchen and storeroom; these are the hotspots of ignition of house fires. You must check smoke detectors at regular intervals to make sure if they are working correctly.
Avoid overloading outlets: – Every outlet installed in the house has specific energy output. Overload it by plugging various devices at once in the outlet can result in a small explosion or a fire. If you need to use multiple devices at a specific position, consider using a power strip; or better consider installing an additional circuit or outlet with the help of a qualified electrician.
Reduce the use of extension cord: – Extension cord spread through the house can trip up the people; this could cause damage to wiring and outlet, it can even result in ripping off the wires from the walls. If you need to use an extension cord much regularly, consider replacing it with new outlets in your home. If you still prefer to use extension cords, never use it with appliances that need greater power, such as air conditioners or heaters.
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Keep electrical equipment and outlets away from water: – We all know water is a good conductor of electricity, so even a little contact with this mix can cause pretty serious injuries or even death by electrocution. Make sure every appliance is away from the water, and at the scenario of spills, make sure to wipe the device dry with its plug out of the electrical outlet.
These are some of the many measures one should take to keep their family safe from any unexpected hazard caused by electric malfunctions.