Not only is February the month for that one holiday with all of the pink hearts and chocolates, but more importantly, it is National Electrical Safety Awareness Month.
February is when the National Fire Protection Association and the Safety Council launch their electrical safety awareness campaigns to help homeowners tune into areas of their home that could be made safer, where the use of electricity is concerned.
House fires devastate thousands of families nationwide on an annual basis, and the number one cause of house fires is electrical.
To protect your home from electrical safety concerns, here are some tips to follow:
- Any cords, on anything that are loose, faulty, or damaged MUST be replaced. Either the entire appliance or the cord, depending on what the repair process is. But, a cord that is not 100%, is a fire waiting to happen.
- Do not run extension cords under carpets or across doorways. Extension cords are meant to be temporary electricity ports, and should never be set-up for permanent use.
- Have a professional electrician do an inspection of your home and add more circuits so that you don’t have to use an extension cord.
- Always follow the manufacturer guidelines for how to use electrical appliances. Never use them in a way that is unintended.
- Never put electrical appliances in or around the bathtub or shower. Any alarm clocks or radios that plug into the wall should never be left in the bathroom, or should be unplugged any time they are not in use.
- If you have small children in your home, make sure that all outlets are covered and protected so that their fingers and other small objects cannot be put in the outlet.
- Plug things like computers and other home office equipment into surge protectors, and don’t overload electrical outlets.
Electrical safety is an important priority for homeowners all year around but, especially during the month of February when safety awareness is promoted. Keep your home and your family protected from electrical house fires by following these tips, and visit the National Fire Protection Association website for more information. (NFPA.org)