Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in a house often make your life easier, but when you use them incorrectly, they could pose noticeable health risks. You should protect appliances and ensure that they don’t turn into dangers by adhering to these helpful household appliance safety recommendations from Cardinal Appliance Repair.

The tips in this article help to prevent fires and injuries related to household appliances. However, hazards could still occur. In the event a home appliance has issues or malfunctions and becomes a danger, call a professional appliance repair.

Install GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations

Laundry rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, basements, garages and outdoor areas can be susceptible to possible dampness or dripping water. As you well know, electricity and water don’t go together, that means power cords and wires should be plugged into GFCI outlets.

This can prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit when any interruptions in power are detected.

If you do not currently have GFCI outlets in damp areas around your home, now is the time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. After that, for additional safety, follow the warnings of certain appliance manuals that indicate a household appliance is not designed for outdoor use.

Wires, Electronics & Outlets Far Away From Water

Several appliances are specially designed for the outdoors, like charcoal and gas grills, for example. If you make us of electrical appliances outside – including dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers and ice makers, electric tools and others – be sure that all plugs and outlets are 100% dry. Weatherproof electronics will help, along with GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are Only a Momentary Answer

Extension cords pose several potential risks, including:

The potential for loose connections that could lead to sparks and cause a fire.
The likelihood of power inconsistencies that could ruin the appliance.
Greater susceptibility to water penetration that can lead to electrocution.
The probability of cords overheating and turning into a fire hazard when an insufficient extension cord is paired with a high-power appliance.

When determining an extension cord for temporary use, ensure that it’s the correct gauge for the electrical tool in question. The lower the gauge, the bigger the size for the cord. For instance, a extension cord for a radio will have a 16-gauge cord whereas a heavy-duty cord for a AC unit needs a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also crucial. The longer the cord, the more power is gone on the way, a phenomenon known as voltage drop. Shorter cords are good for electric tools and outdoor equipment.

Read the Operating Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Buy

It is simple to guess that you know how to operate your brand new appliance without reading the manual, but consulting the manufacturer instructions is necessary for a lot of reasons:

You will find out whether your home’s electrical wiring is enough to support the new appliance. You might need to install a better circuit to stop overloading any current ones.

You learn more about complicated features you would not have otherwise known about.
You learn whether the new appliance is OK for outdoor use or not.

You don’t have the frustration that can come from attempting to run a home appliance with no instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances if You Are Not Using Them

You are able to stop unnecessary energy use by unplugging small appliances when you are not using them. The reason is small appliances include LED lights, clocks and other energy-consuming features during standby mode.

Unplug monitors, TVs, modems, printers, routers, game systems, smart phone chargers and more to stop wasteful energy consumption. But remember, it’s OK to keep DVRs and similar items plugged in to prevent missing out on their automatic background functions.

For more tips on using appliances safely, or to hire a professional appliance repair service, please contact Cardinal Appliance Repair. We can fix all common household appliances!

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