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The Basics of Electrical Fire Safety | SERVPRO of Great Neck/Port Washington
6/16/2023 (Permalink)
Disasters can happen at anytime. That's why SERVPRO of Great Neck/Port Washington is available 24/7 to help you recover from any disaster.
Fires in a home or business can be a completely devastating, overwhelming event. Regardless of how they started, they can leave you sifting through ashes and facing smoke, soot and lingering odors for what feels like will be the rest of your days.
Electrical fires account for nearly 34,000 house fires every year. Nearly $1.3 billion in damages are counted as a result of electrical fires, and death is often a result when this terrible disaster strikes.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect your home from electrical fires. You can both put action in place that will help prevent a fire from beginning as well as learn the warning signs to look for to stop issues before they become a disaster.
In order to prevent electrical fires, you need to first understand some of the most common ways they start. Some of the top causes of electrical fires include improperly installed or faulty wiring, overloaded extension cords or outlets, and the misuse of lighting.
When you plug something in, there is a good possibility you aren’t thinking of anything except powering/charging/starting whatever it is that requires electricity. Faulty wiring does have some warning signs you should look for every time you use an outlet, though. Flickering lights, hot outlets and switches, or discoloration on the plate around a switch or outlet are all signs that something is going wrong.
Don’t dismiss having to wiggle chargers around to get them to work or that strange smell when you turn the light on! If these signs are evident in your home or corporate building, call an electrician and have your wiring checked by a professional.
As much as it sounds like a pun, electricity literally powers our life. Think about the groans your entire family emits when a storm knocks out power as they have to slow their device usage to conserve their batteries. Electricity makes our life more convenient, but it isn’t without dangers.
Start using your electricity in safer ways to prevent a disaster in your home. Never run extension cords under carpets or rugs, and always use the correct length in order to avoid connecting more than one extension cord at a time.
If your surge protectors have enough cords coming out of them to look like an octopus, unplug some items and relocate them to another location. Use the correct wattage bulb in every light, and opt for LED versions to both cut down on heat output and save a little on your bill.
Never DIY electrical upgrades or corrections. Always call in a professional, and keep SERVPRO of Great Neck/Port Washington on your emergency contacts in the event that even the smallest fire starts. We can respond day or night to get things restored quickly.
Have you experienced a fire in your home? Contact us and get things cleaned up fast.