George J. Hayden, Inc. - Commercial Electrical Contractor, Independent Electrical Contractors, Master Electrician, Electrical Contractors - Harrisburg, Hazleton, Wilkes Barre, Poconos, Lehigh Valley PA

Practice Proper Electrical Fire Safety by Checking Your Wires!                                        

Don't take chances when it comes to keeping your home safe from electrical fires. Use the following fire safety tips to help keep your home safe and secure.

Tips to Protect Your Home From Electrical Fires

• § Never take shortcuts with fire safety. When working on a do-it-yourself wiring project, be careful and take plenty of time to do it right. Electricity is dangerous and an electrical fire is very different from conventional fires. Avoid pinching wires or pushing them into boxes that are too small. Always double-check your work.
• § Be careful with wires. Don't run appliance wires under rugs, in areas of high traffic, or in places where water could reach them. If the wires on any appliance are frayed, replace them immediately. Loose wires can create sparks which can lead to potentially deadly fires.
• § Pay attention to socket ratings. If your light socket is rated for 60 watts, don't put that 100 watt bulb into the fixture! Although it might seem to work fine for a while, the additional heat is slowly damaging the wires, and that could lead to a fire.
• § Install ground fault protection. Make sure the outlets in your bathrooms and kitchens are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, or GFCI outlets. These outlets have their own built-in circuit breaker, and are meant to provide fire safety in areas that could get wet, such as near sinks or tubs. If an outlet short circuits, the GFCI circuit will trip, saving you a shock and perhaps an electrical fire.
• § Don't overload your circuits. Plugging several high wattage appliances in the same outlet, or using an overloaded extension cord can be a severe fire hazard. When you do this, the stress on your home's wiring can be very dangerous. Never plug an extension cord into another extension cord and always be aware of what is connected to your outlets.
• § Watch for warning signs. Flickering lights, frequently blown fuses, or the smell of smoke when you use an appliance indicate potential electrical fires growing behind your walls. These signs call for the services of a Hayden Electric certified electrician. Electricity is not something to fool around with, so as soon as you see the warning signs of something amiss, make that call!
• § Have your electrical system evaluated. It's always a good idea to know what you are dealing with when it comes to old wiring. Call Hayden Electric at 570-455-6109 to look over the entire system and make plans to implement any recommendations. You are always better safe than sorry where potential electrical fires are concerned, especially when it comes to old houses with old wiring!