The appliances inside of a home often make your life much easier, but when you operate household appliances unsafely, they might pose significant health risks. It is best to protect appliances and make sure they do not turn into dangers by following these helpful home appliance safety tips from Superior Santa Monica Appliance Repair.
The tips in this post can help prevent fires and injuries from kitchen appliances. That being said, hazards could still occur. In the event an appliance has issues or starts to malfunction and becomes dangerous, hire a appliance repair Santa Monica.
GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations in a Home
Kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, basements, mud rooms, garages and outdoor areas can be susceptible to possible moisture or water. Of course, electricity and water do not go together, therefore power cords and wires should be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).
This type of electrical outlet prevents electrocution by tripping the circuit when any imbalances in power arise.
If you don’t currently have GFCI outlets in wet rooms around your house, it’s time to install them or call an electrician in Santa Monica. After that, for safety measures, be sure to heed the warnings of certain appliance manuals that note that an appliance is not meant for outdoor areas.
Electrical Cords, Electronics & Outlets Away From Damp Areas
Many appliances are specially manufactured for the outdoors, such as gas and charcoal grills. If you make us of any electrical appliances outside – including refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers and ice makers, electric tools and others – be sure that all plugs and outlets are 100% dry. Using weatherproof electronics will help, in addition to GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.
Extension Cords are Only a Momentary Option
Extension cords can pose several noticeable risks, this includes:
The likelihood of a loose connection that might create sparks and cause a fire.
The likelihood of power fluctuations that can ruin the appliance.
Increased susceptibility to moisture penetration that could result in electrocution.
The potential for cords overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an low-quality extension cord is paired with a high-power appliance.
When determining an extension cord for short-term use, be sure it is the right gauge for the electrical appliance in question. The lower the gauge, the bigger the size for the wire. For example, a basic extension cord for a radio may have a 16-gauge wire where a longer cord for a AC unit needs a 12-gauge wire.
The length is also crucial. The longer the cord is, the more power is used up enroute, something called voltage drop. Shorter extension cords are good for electric tools and similar equipment.
Read the Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Purchase
It’s easy to guess that you know how to operate your brand new home appliance without consulting the manual, but reading the instructions is important for a lot of reasons:
You will want to find out whether your home’s electrical wiring is good enough to support the appliance. You may need to install a circuit to stop overloading your current ones.
You learn more about complicated features you would not have otherwise have known.
You learn whether the appliance is intended for outdoor use or not.
You avoid the extreme frustration that can sometimes come from attempting to start a new home appliance with no instructions!
Unplug Small Appliances in Your Home if You Aren’t Using Them
You can reduce unnecessary energy use by unplugging appliances when you aren’t using them. This is because small appliances include LED indicators, clocks and other energy-draining features during standby mode.
Unplug monitors, televisions, printers, modems, routers, video game consoles, smart phone chargers and more to limit unnecessary energy consumption. Just remember, it’s OK to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to prevent missing out on their background features.
For even more tips on ways to use appliances safely, or to hire a local appliance repair company, please contact Superior Santa Monica Appliance Repair. We can repair all major household appliances!
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