Electricity is a wonderful thing and it can bring us heat and light, and even power our favorite home appliances. But it can also be dangerous when not respected or maintained properly. Even a badly wired plug can cause instant death if you are unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We should be vigilant in the family home, especially with young children. Here we talk about ways to make your house as safe as possible as far as electricity is concerned.

Child Friendly

It can be heartbreaking to read about an infant who was electrocuted when he stuck a fork into an electrical socket. Kids are very curious and this type of tragedy happens very often these days. Why take the risk, just install a plastic safety cover on all of your plug sockets. Do the same for your extension sockets because you never know when tiny hands might start to pry.

Overload

Try not to add too many plugs to your input sockets, they can cause a power balance and possibly even an electrical fire. Try to employ some extension leads or ask your local electrician to add some extra electric outlets. Test the surface temperature, if the plug feels warm, you should turn the switch off immediately.

Cord Condition

Check all of your appliance cords to see what type of condition they are in. even your hifi system can cause an electrical fire if the cords are frayed and electrical sparks escape. Any sign of serious wear and tear and you should replace them immediately.

Common Sense

It may seem attractive and tidy to run your extension leads under your carpets, but this is a very dangerous idea in practice. These cables were not designed to have heavy feet walking over them on a regular basis. If you are using too many extension leads, it is time you seriously added to your wall outlets.

Garden Power

One of the most common places for serious electrical accidents is your garden. The lawnmower is the biggest culprit, be extra careful when using one with an electrical cable. There have been many incidents that have resulted in the death of careless gardeners. Always be aware of the location of your electric cable when thrashing around with those sharp blades.

Electrician Checks

It is good practice to ask your local electrician to perform health check of your home every couple of years. You may think he will be touting for business, but he should be able to alert you to any potential electrical nightmares before they ruin your day, or even worse.

Fuse Box

If your lights or appliances stop working, before you do any investigative work, ensure that the power to your fuse box is removed. Many people have had fatal shocks when doing something as simple as changing a light bulb. If you are not comfortable carrying out one of these repairs, you should call on the services of someone who is familiar with electrical maintenance.

Today’s guest post is courtesy Radek Johnson, an electrician by profession. He understands that electricity is a blessing, but also advises people to be careful and not underestimate its devastating effect. He believes that certain good practices like switching off power cords when  not in use go a long way in ensuring safety.