Every year, faulty appliances, wiring and electronics continue to cause serious fires that endanger lives and lead to extensive property damage. Sometimes the fires occur in a single apartment and extend to neighboring units causing serious damage. The situation can quickly get out of hand if you don’t have fire sprinklers or other forms of fire protection systems installed in the building.
Understanding the potential fire hazards and preparation is key to protecting people and property against fires. When it comes to appliances, electrical wiring and electronics, we’ll share a few tips to help you keep safe.
Faulty Outlets And Appliances
There have been a few reported cases of fires that have been caused by old appliances and faulty electrical outlets. If you notice that your appliances have worn out parts such as a frayed cord, it’s best to avoid using it. Another common habit that is known to cause electrical fires is cords that are placed under rugs. Never tamper with electrical outlets or plugs even if they are designed to handle high levels of electrical supply. Ensure your fire sprinkler systems are up and running should an electrical fire emergency arise.
Poor Installation Of Light Fixtures
Another common cause of fire hazards is poor installation of light fixtures. When you install a bulb that has a high wattage compared to what the lamp or fixture is designed to handle, you risk causing a fire hazard. It is important to ensure you don’t go beyond the recommended bulb wattage in your home or commercial building. Sometimes people place materials like paper ontop of lampshades and they quickly heat up and cause serious fires. In other cases, fire hazards occur due to lamps and light fixtures that are faulty and haven’t been repaired.
Misuse Of Extension Cords
One major cause of fire hazards especially in residential buildings is the failure to use extension cords appropriately. For instance, plugging appliances such as refrigerators on an extension cord is never recommended. Such appliances need to be plugged directly onto the electrical outlet. In fact, electricians recommend installing electrical outlets where you need them as opposed to using extension cords. These items should only be used as a temporary solution.
Outdated Or Faulty Electrical Wiring
If your home was built more than 20 years ago, you need to call in an electrician and have the wiring inspected. Some homes’ wiring is not able to handle the level of power modern electrical appliances require to operate. Computers, refrigerators, wide screen TVs and air conditioners built today consume a lot more power and your home needs the wiring capacity required to prevent fire hazards. Remember that electrical wiring is not designed to last forever. If you have an older building, make sure you hire a reliable electrician to come and perform a thorough inspection just to ensure your property is safe and meets all the fire and building codes.
Look Out For The Warning Signs
It’s also important to keep an eye out for issues such as electrical cord damage and electrical shots that occur due to wiring problems. Also make sure you invest in a reliable fire protection system such as smoke detectors and sprinkler systems so you don’t have to run a whole new kitchen renovation Mississauga and save some money.
