The appliances inside your home often make your life much easier, but if you operate them unsafely, they might create evident risks. It is best to protect your appliances and be sure they will not become hazards by adhering to these helpful household appliance safety recommendations from CRT Appliance Repair.
The tips below can help to prevent fires and injuries related to broken household appliances. Even still, hazards can still occur. If an appliance has issues or starts to malfunction and becomes a safety issue, reach out to a professional appliance repair.
GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations
Laundry rooms, kitchens, entry ways, basements, bathrooms, outdoor areas and garages can be susceptible to moisture or water. Of course, electricity and water do not mix, that means power cords and wires should always be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).
This prevents electrocution by tripping the circuit if any imbalances in electricity occur.
If you do not already have GFCI outlets in damp rooms around your home, it is time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. Once that is done, for further safety measures, you will want to heed the warnings of certain appliance manuals that note that a home appliance is not meant for outdoor use.
Electrical Wires, Outlets & Electronics Away From Wet Areas
A lot of appliances are specially manufactured for outdoor areas, like barbecue grills. If you have electrical appliances outside – including refrigerators, dishwashers, ice makers, power tools and others – be sure that all of the outlets and plugs are 100% dry. Using weatherproof electronics can help, along with GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.
Extension Cords are a Momentary Solution
An extension cord poses several evident risks, this includes:
The likelihood of a loose connection that could create sparks and a fire.
The likelihood of power inconsistencies that will ruin the appliance.
Greater vulnerability to moisture penetration that could result in electrocution.
The probability of cords overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an inadequate extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.
When determining an extension cord for short-term use, ensure it’s the correct gauge for the appliance in question. The smaller the gauge, the bigger the cord size. For example, a simple extension cord for a radio will have a 16-gauge wire while a longer cord for a window air conditioner requires a 12-gauge wire.
The length of the cord is also a factor. The longer the cord is, the more power is used up enroute, this is known as voltage drop. Shorter extension cords are good for power tools and similar outdoor equipment.
Read the Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Buy
It’s easy to guess that you know how to operate a brand new appliance without reading the operating manual, but consulting the manufacturer guidelines is important for several reasons:
You will want to find out if your home’s electrical wiring is good enough to support the appliance. You might need to install a circuit to stop overloading any existing ones.
You learn more about complicated features you wouldn’t have otherwise known.
You discover if the new appliance is intended for outdoor use or not.
You do not have the extreme stress that can come from attempting to operate a new appliance with no instructions!
Unplug Small Appliances if You Aren’t Using Them
You can prevent unnecessary energy consumption by unplugging them when not in use. This is because small appliances include LED indicators, clocks and other energy-consuming features while in standby times.
Unplug monitors, TVs, modems, printers, internet routers, video game systems, cellphone chargers and more to limit wasteful energy use. Just remember, it’s alright to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to prevent missing out on their automatic background features.
For more tips on ways to use appliances safely, or to hire a local appliance repair service, please contact CRT Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can fix all name brand home appliances!
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