Electrical Safety is a must. Home Electrical Safety Checklist

A report says between 2010 to 2014, U.S. firefighters and emergency personnel responded to
around 45,000 house fires directly related to faulty wiring and electrical malfunction which come under electrical safety. Getting deeper into the stats, unfortunately, over 420 people died in those fires, and 1.4 billion dollars were lost in property damages.

House fires are very terrifying and can lead to serious injury, death, and they can quickly spread to neighboring structures easily. Older homes are definitely at a higher risk of fires. While most people spend a lot of time, effort, and money picking out the perfect, most visually appealing lighting fixtures for their homes, most do not take the time to properly check and see if the wiring is safe. At new constructions thankfully enough importance is given to wiring and electrical fixation. By doing that the risk of fire from faulty wiring is virtually nonexistent.

The following checklist will cover electrical home safety basics.

Make sure all switches and outlets are fixed where they should be. Make sure they are working correctly. If they aren’t, that could indicate an underlying wiring problem and increase the risk of fire directly.

A great way to figure out if the wiring is done right is to check to see if the outlets or switches
are hot to the touch. If they aren’t, great, but if they are, the wiring is probably faulty. That
indicates faulty wiring. You may have to get it completely checked to avoid any mishaps. Have a licensed electrician check them.

The next indicator of faulty wiring is if the switches or outlets are discolored, there is a serious wiring problem. Get it checked immediately for best results.

Loose plugs and outlets are a fire hazard. Fix these before using them. It can lead to a serious
and dangerous situations if not rectified in time.

This one’s basic. But it is important. Don’t use damaged, frayed, or cracked cords. Also, make
sure cords are not pinched beneath the furniture or under the windows. That’s a quick solution but not a lasting one.

Don’t attach cords to nails or staples. These can cut the wiring and cause a fire. Simple. Get an electrical expert to fix it.

Don’t put cords under carpets. Overheating can lead to a dangerous fire.

Extension cords should not be used permanently. Switching them off saves from any
overheating problem.

Cords should not be wrapped or twisted when used. It puts pressure on the wiring under the
coating and causes them to break or compress leading to disconnect.

Use the right wattage for bulbs and fixtures. A lot of new construction homes come with safe
and energy-efficient fixtures are good.

Don’t place cords next to hot appliances like fridges, heaters, or big lamps. Heat is transferable. And any appliances overheated can cause direct damage.