Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in a home make your life much less stressful, but if you use household appliances unsafely, they might produce noticeable health risks. It is best to protect appliances and ensure that they do not become hazards by adhering to these home appliance safety recommendations from Speedy Appliance Repair.

The professional tips below help prevent fires and injuries related to broken home appliances. However, hazards can still occur. In the event an appliance has problems or malfunctions and becomes a danger, reach out to a professional appliance repair.

Install GFCI Outlets in Damp Locations

Laundry rooms, kitchens, basements, bathrooms, garages and outdoor areas are susceptible to possible dampness or water. Of course, electricity and moisture do not mix, therefore electrical cords and wires should always be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

This special type of outlet will prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit when any imbalances in power occur.

If you don’t currently have GFCI outlets installed in wet areas inside of your home, now is the time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. After that, for further safety measures, you will want to heed the warnings of appliance manuals that note that a home appliance is not meant for outdoor areas.

Wires, Outlets & Electronics Away From Damp Areas

Several home appliances are specifically built for outdoor use, such as barbecue grills. If you make us of electrical appliances outdoors – including refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers and ice makers, electric tools and more – ensure that all of the outlets and plugs are not wet. Using weatherproof electronics will help, as do GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.

Extension Cords are a Momentary Option

An extension cord poses several risks, including:

The likelihood of a loose connection that could create sparks and a fire.
The possibility of power inconsistencies that would damage the appliance.
Greater susceptibility to moisture penetration that may result in electrocution.
The potential for wires overheating and turning into a fire hazard when an insufficient extension cord is paired with a high-power appliance.

When deciding on an extension cord for limited-time use, make sure it’s the right gauge for the electrical equipment in question. The smaller the gauge, the greater the size for the wire. For instance, a basic extension cord for a radio could have a 16-gauge cord where a longer cord for a air conditioner requires a 12-gauge wire.

The length is also a factor. The longer the cord, the more electricity is used up enroute, also known as voltage drop. Shorter extension cords are recommended for electric tools and equipment.

Be Sure to Read the Operating Manual for Any Appliance You Buy

It’s obvious to guess that you know how to operate your new washing machine or dishwasher without consulting the manual, but consulting the guidelines is necessary for many reasons:

You will want to find out if your house’s electrical wiring is sufficient to power the new appliance. You might have to install a new circuit to prevent overloading any existing ones.

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

You don’t have the extreme stress that can sometimes come from trying to operate a new home appliance without instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances When Not in Use

You are able to limit unnecessary energy consumption by unplugging them when you aren’t using them. The reason is small appliances include LED lights, timers and other energy-draining features during standby mode.

Unplug monitors, TVs, printers, modems, routers, video game systems, phone chargers and more to limit wasteful energy consumption. But remember, it’s worthwhile to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to prevent missing out on their background features.

For additional tips on ways to use home appliances safely, or to schedule a local appliance repair company, please contact Speedy Appliance Repair. We can repair all name brand household appliances!

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