Are Any of These 5 Electrical Hazards Putting Your Family at Risk?

No one wants to discover that their home is not safe for their families yet that is the reality for too many California homeowners. Read on to learn about five electrical hazards that could be putting you and your family at risk and then contact Sonner Electric at 661-728-0126 for help with residential electrical concerns.

1. Overusing Extension Cords

It is very common for homeowners to overuse extension cords and power strips. Both of these devices should only be used for short periods of time. Why? Because it is not certain that your outlets were built to handle the amount of electrical power that is needed to power four or five devices. If they are not up for the challenge, the result may be overheating – which can lead to an electrical fire.

2. Water Near Your Electricity

Any sinks in your home that are located in wet areas, such as bathrooms, kitchens, or workshops, should be equipped with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets. These are three-pronged outlets that have safety reset buttons to turn off the flow of electricity if there is water near them.

3. Your Dogs and Kids Could Be Putting Themselves at Risk

Small kids and pets are low to the ground and curious. They may try to stick all sorts of things into your outlets. The easy fix for this is to use plastic child-safe covers, or to install tamper-resistant outlets. We often recommend tamper-resistant outlets because they include plastic blocks that will not allow anything but a plug to enter the outlet. Whether fork, finger, toy, or claw, it will not get in.

Be sure as well that you do not have cords on your ground that are not secured. Just use tape or another type of cord-securing product that prevents them from being tripped over by the kids or chewed on by the dog. Just be sure not to hide them under rugs as this can e a fire hazard itself.

4. Using Cords That Have Been Damaged

If there are any frayed, melted, cracked, corroded, discolored, or otherwise damaged cords coming from your appliances or other types of electronics, then you should not use them. If inner wires are exposed, they can cause shocks, burns, and even fires. To prevent damage to cords, unplug them by pulling the plastic end – do not just yank the cord out of the wall.

5. Faulty Smoke Alarms

The most common issue with smoke alarms is that they do not have working batteries in them. We recommend checking the batteries and whether or not the detector works every three months. One option is to do it each time the season changes.

If you have additional concerns about residential electricity issues, contact Sonner Electric at 661-728-0126 and we can help you find the right solutions.