3 Tips For Electrical Outlet Safety In Your Home
You use the electrical outlets in your home so often that you probably take them for granted and forget how dangerous they can be. Unsafe outlets are a common cause of house fires and electrical shocks. You can reduce the risk of problems with your outlets by updating them and monitoring them for problems. Here are some safety tips that might help.
Use An Outlet Tester
You can buy an outlet tester for a few dollars at a hardware store and use it yourself to monitor your outlets. If you've never checked them before, go through your entire house and check every outlet for malfunctions. The tester has a prong on the end that fits right into an outlet.
A series of lights come on that lets you …show more content…
Also, don't jerk on a cord to pull out the plug. Both of these actions put you at risk of an electrical shock. Always make sure the plug is in the outlet securely and doesn't hang out partially. If you have kids, put plastic plugs in outlets that are not being used so your kids won't stick their fingers or toys into the holes and be shocked.
Upgrade Outlets That Need It
If you live in an older home, your outlets may be outdated. If they aren't grounded, you should call an electrician to ground them for you. When you use the tester on the outlets, you'll find out if they are grounded or not. Be sure to check all your outlets because some may be grounded while others aren't. Also, be sure you have GFCI outlets in your bathroom, kitchen, garage, and outdoors. These shut off power when stray electricity is detected so you are protected from a shock when you're in a wet area of your home.
If you've recently moved into a home, you may want an electrician to make the initial inspection just to make sure your electrical system is up to code and safe. After that, you can check your outlets for problems and watch for signs of trouble such as dimming lights and tripping circuits that indicate you should call an electrician for
You use the electrical outlets in your home so often that you probably take them for granted and forget how dangerous they can be. Unsafe outlets are a common cause of house fires and electrical shocks. You can reduce the risk of problems with your outlets by updating them and monitoring them for problems. Here are some safety tips that might help.
Use An Outlet Tester
You can buy an outlet tester for a few dollars at a hardware store and use it yourself to monitor your outlets. If you've never checked them before, go through your entire house and check every outlet for malfunctions. The tester has a prong on the end that fits right into an outlet.
A series of lights come on that lets you …show more content…
Also, don't jerk on a cord to pull out the plug. Both of these actions put you at risk of an electrical shock. Always make sure the plug is in the outlet securely and doesn't hang out partially. If you have kids, put plastic plugs in outlets that are not being used so your kids won't stick their fingers or toys into the holes and be shocked.
Upgrade Outlets That Need It
If you live in an older home, your outlets may be outdated. If they aren't grounded, you should call an electrician to ground them for you. When you use the tester on the outlets, you'll find out if they are grounded or not. Be sure to check all your outlets because some may be grounded while others aren't. Also, be sure you have GFCI outlets in your bathroom, kitchen, garage, and outdoors. These shut off power when stray electricity is detected so you are protected from a shock when you're in a wet area of your home.
If you've recently moved into a home, you may want an electrician to make the initial inspection just to make sure your electrical system is up to code and safe. After that, you can check your outlets for problems and watch for signs of trouble such as dimming lights and tripping circuits that indicate you should call an electrician for