Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in your house can make your life much easier, but when you operate them unsafely, they could produce evident health risks. It is best to care for appliances and ensure that they won’t become hazards by following these helpful household appliance safety recommendations from Power Appliance Repair.

The tips below will help prevent fires and injuries due to appliances. Even still, hazards could still happen. If an appliance has problems or begins to malfunction and becomes a safety risk, reach out to a appliance repair Reston.

GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations in a Home

Kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, bathrooms, mud rooms, garages and outdoor areas can be susceptible to wetness or dripping water. Of course, electricity and water don’t mix, that means electrical cords should be plugged into GFCI outlets.

This can prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit when any inconsistencies in power occur.

If you do not currently have GFCI outlets installed in damp locations inside and around your house, it’s time to install them or call an electrician in Reston. After that, for additional safety, follow the warnings of appliance manuals that note that they are not meant for outdoor areas.

Wires, Electronics & Outlets Far Away From Water

Several home appliances are specially built for outdoor use, such as barbecue grills, for example. If you make us of electrical appliances outdoors – including dishwashers, refrigerators, ice makers, power tools and more – be sure that all of the cords and outlets are not wet. Using weatherproof electronics help with this, combined with GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.

Extension Cords are Only a Momentary Solution

An extension cord poses several noticeable risks, including:

The potential for a loose connection that could lead to sparks and start a fire.
The possibility of power interruptions that will ruin the appliance.
Increased susceptibility to moisture penetration that may cause electrocution.
The chance of cords overheating and turning into 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, make sure that it’s the appropriate gauge for the electrical tool in question. The lower the gauge, the bigger the cord size. For instance, a basic electrical extension cord for a lamp will have a 16-gauge wire while a larger cord for a window air conditioner requires a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also crucial. The longer the cord, the more electricity is gone enroute, also referred to as voltage drop. Short extension cords are recommended for electric tools and similar equipment.

Always Be Sure to Read the Manual for Any Appliance You Purchase

It’s obvious to guess that you know how to use your new home appliance without consulting the manual, but reading the instructions is important for many reasons:

You will want to find out whether your home’s wiring is sufficient to support the new appliance. You may have to install a new circuit to stop overloading any current ones.

You learn more about advanced features you might not otherwise known about.
You understand if the new appliance is intended for outdoor locations or not.

You do not have the stress that can sometimes come from trying to start a appliance with no instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances in Your Home When Not Being Used

You can reduce unnecessary energy use by unplugging small appliances when not in use. This is because small appliances include LED lights, timers and other energy-consuming features while in standby times.

Unplug televisions, computer monitors, routers, video game systems, smart phone chargers and more to cut back on unnecessary energy usage. But remember, it is worthwhile to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to not miss their automatic background functions.

For extra tips on using appliances safely, or to hire a local appliance repair company, please contact Power Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can repair all popular home appliances!

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