Electrical Safety Tips for Winter
Statistically speaking, when it comes to the wintertime, more consumers purchase electrical appliances more than any other time of the year, even in the summer. Things like electric blankets to stay warm with, space heaters to keep a space warm and even electrical fire pots can all be purchased during the wintertime for a great price, but each one has its safety issues that you need to be aware of. Here are a few ways to ensure you and your family’s safety this winter, and a few tips on some other things you need to check out. If you are unsure about the wiring in your home you should contact a residential electrician to have a look; an electrician in New Jersey can look at all of the wiring in your home as well as your appliances and can make sure that you and your family are safe this winter.
Space Heaters
Space heaters are a really brilliant invention in that they warm the space around you and are usually pretty good when it comes to saving energy. When it comes to these space heaters, most of the newer ones come with safety features such as automatic off, timers, cool touch surfaces, and tip over switches. However, they are still one of the leading causes of home fires in the winter time. I think this is really more about carelessness than anything else, so it’s important that you realize these CAN cause a fire IF you are careless.
Make sure that you keep the space heaters away from any clothes, fabric items, drapes and bedspreads - at least 5 feet. Also, make sure that this is NOT something you use an extension cord with. Heaters, in general, even if they are energy efficient ones, will draw and use a lot of heat, and this could cause a fire hazard if you use an extension cord. Lastly, please make sure you turn your space heater off when you are asleep. It’s different if you are awake because you can think fast IF something does happen. But, if you are sleeping, by the time you realize something might be wrong, it could be too late to do anything about it.
Electric Blankets
These are really nice when you want to warm up or have a cool house. They used to be much more dangerous back when they first started to manufacture these, but don't get it wrong, these can still be dangerous. Essentially these are blankets, usually felt, velvet, suede, or wool - all warm materials to begin with, and they have a wire inside of them which heats certain points of the blanket. Then, you have a switch for on and off and a thermostat of sorts that will let you put the heat up high or low. Yes, these can be very comfortable and safe if used correctly. First and foremost always make sure you read the manufacturer’s directions on how to use these and for how long you can have them on. Second off, keep them away from ALL liquids, this includes but is not limited to water, damp areas, pipes that might be dripping and even urine. Yes, kids can use these, but please make sure that they are safe with them or it could cause an electric shock or lead to death. Lastly, it’s always important that you do not "tuck" these into the bed because this can cause a malfunction.
Appliances For Other Uses
Just because a product gives off heat, doesn't mean that it should be used for anything else than what its intended for. Recently in the news someone had a house catch on fire because they used a hair dryer as a space heater. Don't do this! Hair dryers are for hair folks, nothing else. Make sure that you aren't using things like hair dryers, heat lamps or heat guns for anything else than what they were designed to be used for. Don't use them to thaw pipes or thaw icicles. Don't use them to dry clothes or keep you warm. If worse comes to worse and you are cold, buy a space heater, but follow the above safety guidelines when using one. Another thing to think about is stovetops - ovens are one thing. You make a meal, the oven is all warm and toasty and you crack it open after its turned off to let some of that warm air out. Fine. Even then you need to make sure you don't have kids or pets around. But, stovetops can cause fires, cause your clothes to catch on fire and can and most likely will cause burns. So just don't do it!
Heater Inspected
Make sure that you also have your heater and HVAC system inspected by a professional, at least once a year. Preferably before the heating season starts (winter or fall). The professional should not only look at your system, but he or she should also make sure that all of the moving parts are lubricated, the belts are working, the system is cleaned, and the thermostat is all working properly. Filters should also be checked - depending on the filter, these can last 1 month to 3 months long, but if you have a professional come in he should offer to replace it for free for you even if it has only been a month.
Electric Sockets
Lastly, you should make sure that while you are using things like space heaters for the winter that your sockets all work correctly and you don't have any shorts or worse. This is not something you exactly want to mess around on your own, though, so it might be a good idea to call in a professional electrician in New Jersey to take a look at any faulty issues you might be having. This happens in both newer and older homes, but it’s really less about the age of the house and more about who put the lines in, how experienced they were, if they put any insulation in, etc. A brand new house can have faulty electrical issues as just as much as an older homes that are 50+ years old.
Space Heaters
Space heaters are a really brilliant invention in that they warm the space around you and are usually pretty good when it comes to saving energy. When it comes to these space heaters, most of the newer ones come with safety features such as automatic off, timers, cool touch surfaces, and tip over switches. However, they are still one of the leading causes of home fires in the winter time. I think this is really more about carelessness than anything else, so it’s important that you realize these CAN cause a fire IF you are careless.
Make sure that you keep the space heaters away from any clothes, fabric items, drapes and bedspreads - at least 5 feet. Also, make sure that this is NOT something you use an extension cord with. Heaters, in general, even if they are energy efficient ones, will draw and use a lot of heat, and this could cause a fire hazard if you use an extension cord. Lastly, please make sure you turn your space heater off when you are asleep. It’s different if you are awake because you can think fast IF something does happen. But, if you are sleeping, by the time you realize something might be wrong, it could be too late to do anything about it.
Electric Blankets
These are really nice when you want to warm up or have a cool house. They used to be much more dangerous back when they first started to manufacture these, but don't get it wrong, these can still be dangerous. Essentially these are blankets, usually felt, velvet, suede, or wool - all warm materials to begin with, and they have a wire inside of them which heats certain points of the blanket. Then, you have a switch for on and off and a thermostat of sorts that will let you put the heat up high or low. Yes, these can be very comfortable and safe if used correctly. First and foremost always make sure you read the manufacturer’s directions on how to use these and for how long you can have them on. Second off, keep them away from ALL liquids, this includes but is not limited to water, damp areas, pipes that might be dripping and even urine. Yes, kids can use these, but please make sure that they are safe with them or it could cause an electric shock or lead to death. Lastly, it’s always important that you do not "tuck" these into the bed because this can cause a malfunction.
Appliances For Other Uses
Just because a product gives off heat, doesn't mean that it should be used for anything else than what its intended for. Recently in the news someone had a house catch on fire because they used a hair dryer as a space heater. Don't do this! Hair dryers are for hair folks, nothing else. Make sure that you aren't using things like hair dryers, heat lamps or heat guns for anything else than what they were designed to be used for. Don't use them to thaw pipes or thaw icicles. Don't use them to dry clothes or keep you warm. If worse comes to worse and you are cold, buy a space heater, but follow the above safety guidelines when using one. Another thing to think about is stovetops - ovens are one thing. You make a meal, the oven is all warm and toasty and you crack it open after its turned off to let some of that warm air out. Fine. Even then you need to make sure you don't have kids or pets around. But, stovetops can cause fires, cause your clothes to catch on fire and can and most likely will cause burns. So just don't do it!
Heater Inspected
Make sure that you also have your heater and HVAC system inspected by a professional, at least once a year. Preferably before the heating season starts (winter or fall). The professional should not only look at your system, but he or she should also make sure that all of the moving parts are lubricated, the belts are working, the system is cleaned, and the thermostat is all working properly. Filters should also be checked - depending on the filter, these can last 1 month to 3 months long, but if you have a professional come in he should offer to replace it for free for you even if it has only been a month.
Electric Sockets
Lastly, you should make sure that while you are using things like space heaters for the winter that your sockets all work correctly and you don't have any shorts or worse. This is not something you exactly want to mess around on your own, though, so it might be a good idea to call in a professional electrician in New Jersey to take a look at any faulty issues you might be having. This happens in both newer and older homes, but it’s really less about the age of the house and more about who put the lines in, how experienced they were, if they put any insulation in, etc. A brand new house can have faulty electrical issues as just as much as an older homes that are 50+ years old.