Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances inside of a house make your life less stressful, but if you use them the wrong way, they might create noticeable risks. You should protect your appliances and ensure that they won’t turn into dangers by following these household appliance safety recommendations from Premiere Appliance Repair.

The professional tips in this article can help to prevent fires and injuries related to broken home appliances. Even still, hazards can still occur. If a home appliance breaks or starts to malfunction and becomes a safety issue, hire a local appliance repair in Chula Vista California.

GFCI Outlets in Damp Locations

Laundry rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, basements, outdoor areas and garages are susceptible to dampness or water. As you are well aware, electricity and moisture do not go together, therefore electrical cords and wires should be plugged into GFCI outlets.

This can prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit if any interruptions in electricity are detected.

If you do not already have GFCI outlets in wet areas inside of your home, it’s time to install them or call an electrician in Chula Vista. Then, for even more safety, follow the warnings of appliance manuals that indicate a household appliance is not for outdoor use.

Cords, Electronics & Outlets Away From Wet Areas

A lot of home appliances are designed for the outdoors, such as gas and charcoal grills. If you have any electrical appliances outdoors – including dishwashers, refrigerators, ice makers, electric tools and more – monitor that all of the outlets and cords are 100% dry. Weatherproof electronics help, as do GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are a Temporary Solution

Extension cords pose many noticeable risks, including:

• The chance for loose connections that could cause sparks and a fire.
• The likelihood of power fluctuations that would ruin the appliance.
  Increased vulnerability to water penetration that might result in electrocution.
• The probability of cords overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an low-quality extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.

When choosing an extension cord for limited-time use, ensure that it is the correct gauge for the electrical tool in question. The lower the gauge, the bigger the size for the cord. For instance, a basic electrical extension cord for a garden tool may have a 16-gauge cord where a bigger cord for a AC unit uses a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also a factor. The longer the extension cord, the more power is lost enroute, this is called voltage drop. Shorter extension cords are good for power tools and similar equipment.

Read the Operating Manual for Any Appliance You Purchase

It’s simple to assume that you know how to operate a new appliance without reading the manual, but consulting the manufacturer guidelines is necessary for many reasons:

You should find out if your house’s electrical wiring is sufficient to power the appliance. You might need to install a new circuit to prevent overloading your existing ones.

You learn more about complicated features you wouldn’t have otherwise have known about.
You discover if the new appliance is safe for outdoor areas or not.

You don’t have the stress that can come from attempting to start a new appliance without instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances When Not Being Used

You can prevent unnecessary energy usage by unplugging small appliances when not in use. This is because small appliances often include LED signals, clocks and other energy-consuming features while in standby mode.

Unplug TVs, monitors, routers, video game consoles, phone chargers and more to limit wasteful energy usage. But remember, it is a good idea to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to not miss their background features.

For extra tips on using home appliances safely, or to schedule a local appliance repair service, please contact Premiere Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can fix all popular home appliances!

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