Something that we all rely on in our daily lives is electricity. We barely give it a second thought, but electricity provides the power behind the things we do both in the home and at work, from cooking and washing, to watching television, operating tools and working on the computer.
One of the main causes of fire in a home is due to an electrical problem, and it is important to remember that electricity can be a risk so must be treated with respect and safety procedures followed in order to reduce the risk of an electrical fire. Taking good care of the electricals in your home can help keep you safe. Here are a few tips that you can use to do this…
Be Careful of the things you Buy – Knock off or second hand electrical goods might be cheaper, but they can often be unsafe. Buying something that hasn’t been tested or made properly, or buying second hand electricals that might have been damaged can be risky, as they then are much more likely to be the cause of a fire in the home. It is a good idea to have electricals professionally tested by someone like this pat testing Cheltenham based company https://www.blu-fish.co.uk/landlord-and-letting-services-cheltenham/pat-portable-appliance-testing-cheltenham as they will be able to find faults that could be problematic.
Don’t use Anything that you Suspect is Damaged – If you notice something isn’t quite right with something then don’t use it and have it checked out. If the wiring is exposed or there is damage to the cable then this could be dangerous. If you go to use something and it gets very hot or makes a strange noise this is another warning sign and you should switch it off straight away and call an electrician.
Be Careful not to Overload Sockets – Having extension cables that allow you to plug in multiple items is a handy thing, but if you have too many sockets that are overloaded, or too much use from one socket, then you could be running a risk of an electrical fire starting. If you are using heated appliances in particular, you should only have one plugged in at a time. You can feel the plugs on the sockets, and they should be cool. If they are warm, stop using them immediately.