The appliances inside a home can make your life much easier, but if you use appliances the wrong way, they could create evident health risks. It is important to care for appliances and ensure that they don’t turn into dangers by following these household appliance safety tips from La Mesa Appliance Repair.
The tips in this article will help to prevent fires and injuries related to broken household appliances. Even still, hazards can still occur. In the event a home appliance breaks or malfunctions and becomes a danger, call a appliance repair La Mesa.
GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations in a Home
Kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, basements, garages and outdoor areas can be susceptible to dampness or dripping water. As you well know, electricity and moisture do not go together, so power cords and wires should always be plugged into GFCI outlets.
This will prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit if any inconsistencies in power arise.
If you do not have GFCI outlets installed in damp areas inside of your home, now is the time to install them or call an electrician in La Mesa. Then, for further safety measures, be sure to heed the warnings of manufacturer appliance manuals that indicate a household appliance is not meant for outdoor areas.
Wires, Outlets & Electronics Far Away From Water
Quite a few home appliances are specially designed for the outdoors, like charcoal and gas grills. If you make us of electrical appliances outdoors – including dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers and ice makers, power tools and more – be sure that all outlets and plugs are dry. Weatherproof electronics will help with this, along with GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.
Extension Cords are a Temporary Answer
An extension cord poses many risks, this includes:
The chance for loose connections that might cause sparks and a fire.
The chance of power inconsistencies that may break the appliance.
Increased susceptibility to water penetration that can cause electrocution.
The likelihood of wires overheating and turning into a fire hazard when an insufficient extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.
When choosing an extension cord for temporary use, make sure that it is the appropriate gauge for the electrical tool in question. The lower the gauge, the larger the size for the wire. For example, a simple electrical extension cord for a lamp may have a 16-gauge wire whereas a big cord for a window air conditioner requires a 12-gauge wire.
The length of the cord is also a factor. The longer the extension cord is, the more electricity is lost enroute, something known as voltage drop. Short extension cords are recommended for power tools and similar equipment.
Always Read the Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Purchase
It’s simple to assume that you know how to operate your new appliance without consulting the operating manual, but consulting the guidelines is important for many reasons:
You will find out whether your home’s electrical wiring is sufficient to support the new appliance. You might need to install a better circuit to stop overloading any current ones.
You learn about complicated features you might not otherwise have known.
You learn if the new appliance is intended for outdoor areas or not.
You avoid the frustration that can sometimes come from trying to run a appliance with no instructions!
Unplug Small Appliances if You Are Not Using Them
You can limit unnecessary energy usage by unplugging small appliances when you are not using them. This is because small appliances include LED signals, clocks and other features standby times.
Unplug monitors, televisions, modems, printers, routers, game systems, cellphone chargers and more to cut back on wasteful energy usage. But remember, it’s OK to keep DVRs and similar electronics plugged in to not miss their background features.
For additional tips on using appliances safely, or to call a professional appliance repair service, please contact La Mesa Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can repair all major home appliances!
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