The appliances inside a home can make life much easier, but when you use appliances the wrong way, they might create significant health risks. It is best to maintain appliances and be sure they will not turn into hazards by following these helpful household appliance safety recommendations from Lawton Appliance Repair.
The professional tips in this article can help to prevent fires and injuries from home appliances. That being said, hazards could still happen. In the event a home appliance breaks or begins to malfunction and becomes a danger, reach out to a professional appliance repair Lawton.
Install GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations in Your Home
Laundry rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, basements, garages and outdoor areas can be susceptible to possible dampness or dripping water. As you are well aware, electricity and moisture do not mix, so power cords should always be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).
This particular type of outlet can prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit if any interruptions in power arise.
If you do not have GFCI outlets in wet areas inside and around your home, it is time to install them or call an electrician in Lawton. After that, for additional safety measures, follow the warnings of certain appliance manuals that note that a home appliance is not meant for outdoor areas.
Cords, Electronics & Outlets Far Away From Water
Quite a few home appliances are specially designed for outdoor areas, like charcoal and gas grills. If you use any electrical appliances outside – including dishwashers, refrigerators, ice makers, power tools and more – monitor that all outlets and cords are not wet. Weatherproof electronics help, as do GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.
Extension Cords are a Temporary Solution
An extension cord poses a lot of evident risks, including:
The likelihood of loose connections that might result in sparks and cause a fire.
The likelihood of power inconsistencies that could damage the appliance.
Increased susceptibility to water penetration that may result in electrocution.
The potential for cords overheating and turning into a fire hazard when an insufficient extension cord is paired with a high-power appliance.
When determining an extension cord for short-term use, be sure that it is the correct gauge for the electrical tool in question. The smaller the gauge, the greater the cord size. For example, a simple household extension cord for a garden tool might have a 16-gauge wire while a big cord for a AC unit uses a 12-gauge wire.
Length is also important. The longer the extension cord, the more power is lost enroute, this is known as voltage drop. Short cords are advised for electric tools and equipment.
Always Read the Manual for Any Appliance You Purchase
It’s easy to guess that you know how to operate a brand new appliance without reading the manual, but reading the instructions is important for a lot of reasons:
You will want to find out if your house’s electrical wiring is enough to support the new appliance. You may need to install a circuit to stop overloading any current ones.
You learn more about features you wouldn’t have otherwise known.
You learn whether the appliance is safe for outdoor use or not.
You don’t have the extreme frustration that can sometimes come from trying to start a new appliance with no instructions!
Unplug Small Appliances in Your Home if You Aren’t Using Them
You can stop unnecessary energy use by unplugging them when you are not using them. This is because small appliances sometimes include LED signals, timers and other features standby mode.
Unplug TVs, monitors, routers, game systems, cellphone chargers and more to limit unnecessary energy use. Just remember, it is worthwhile to keep DVRs and similar electronics plugged in to not miss their background features.
For more tips on using appliances safely, or to schedule a professional appliance repair company, please contact Lawton Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can fix all name brand home appliances!
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