6 Electrical Hazards Around Your Home That You Should Take Note Of

6 Electrical Hazards Around Your Home That You Should Take Note Of

What electrical hazards around your house should you be taking note of?

  • Curious children
  • Misused extension cords
  • Large appliances (after experiencing abnormal electrical surges)
  • Outdated wiring
  • Covered electrical cords and wiring
  • Overheating light bulbs

 

One of the first things you need to do to acquire a safe home is to get all of your electronic needs from a trusted electrical company in the Philippines. Finding them could be tricky. But there are signs that you can always look for. For instance, you can check out the testimonials left by satisfied customers on their website. Better yet, look for products that have been properly tested and certified.

The next thing you need to do is maintain the good condition of these products. Unless they could withstand water (such as GFCI outlets), don’t place them in areas that are prone to moisture. But you probably already know this, together with a handful of tips that you need to follow when it comes to these electronic devices.

However, there might be a couple of things that you overlooked that you definitely must take note of. Continuously ignoring these things could lead to serious accidents. To help you out, we named some of these items below.

Curious children

Curious children

Children are naturally curious. There’s only so much that parents can do about this. However, this doesn’t mean that you could no longer educate them about the risks of playing with electricity.

Use their curiousness into opportunities for you to teach them how to properly handle electronic devices, if they must. As much as possible, encourage them to always seek a grown up’s help when handling them.

If you have smaller children, it’s better to store all of your electrical devices into hard to reach places. By doing so, you won’t worry that they’ll end up playing with them.

 

Misused extension cords

In the Philippines, extension cords are a great addition to your house especially if you often need extra outlets. They also come in handy during times when you need to use an appliance outside of your house. However, they could pose as an electrical hazard if they are misused.

Some homeowners like maximizing their extension cords. They would plug in as many devices as they can into the cords. But this could actually lead them to malfunction which could, later on, cause a fire. Although you can use all the plugs in your cords, you shouldn’t do it for a prolonged time. Remember, extension cords are not a permanent substitute for power sockets.

Large appliances (after experiencing abnormal electrical surges)

Large appliances (after experiencing abnormal electrical surges)

On their own, appliances are not really a threat. However, when an electrical surge happens, they may become extremely dangerous. When the voltage of a certain electrical current fluctuates to abnormal levels, it can greatly affect your appliances, sometimes causing them to shut down. Other times, they overload and become a threat to anyone who touches them.

To prevent this from happening, invest in an Automatic Voltage Regulator; it will help protect your appliances. AVRs ensure that your appliances will receive the accurate amount of voltage, whether or not there is a fluctuating electricity flow.

 

Outdated wiring

If you’re living in an old house, you should probably check the wirings—even if you just recently bought it and even if the seller told you they updated all of them. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Outdated wirings are essentially looming hazards found inside your walls.

When you are living in such a house, it would be best for you to contact an electrician from an electrical company in the Philippines to update the wiring around your house as soon as possible!

 

Covered electrical cords and wiring

You don’t necessarily need to cover up your cords and wiring to hide them. In fact, it’s better if you don’t cover them because in some cases, extension cords in the Philippines and in other countries tend to heat up or worse, overheat. When left unattended this can lead to an electrical fire.

When thinking about the layout of a room, always provide some sort of ventilation for your appliances, cords, and wirings. By giving them some space to breathe, you won’t have to worry too much about them overheating.

Overheating light bulbs

Overheating light bulbs

These sources of light aren’t usually considered as a hazard. It is incredibly useful in almost every part of your home. However, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t pose a threat. Remember, it not only generates light but also heat. This means that if you placed them near flammable objects, they could end up starting a fire.

In addition, watch out for light bulbs with the wrong wattage because they also have a tendency to overheat.

 

Key Takeaway

Getting electrical devices from a trusted electrical company in the Philippines—such as Meiji—is one of the first steps you can take to ensure you have a safe home. The next part, which is the maintenance of these products, should then be prioritized.

Listed above are some of the things that you may be overlooking in your house that you should be taking notes to avoid any potential accidents from happening.

An Electric Company in the Philippines Teaches Electrical Safety Tips for Children

An Electric Company In The Philippines Teaches Electrical Safety Tips For Children

What electrical safety tips should you teach your children?

  1. Do not let your kids play near electrical outlets
  2. Don’t let them use appliances alone
  3. Be wary of water

 

Your home is supposed to be a safe haven for you and your family. Unfortunately, there are still some risks that we cannot completely abolish, especially when you have little children. You can install many safety devices and have some safety rules in place but children can be pretty curious, which is why electrical suppliers in Metro Manila are always encouraging parents to teach their kids about the hazards of electricity.

UPS suppliers in Manila also back this up, providing customers with some safety tips on how parents could make their little ones understand that electricity is not something they can play with.

We listed down some lessons you can teach them below.

Playing Near Electrical Outlets Is A No No

Playing near electrical outlets is a no-no

Most electrical hazards for kids happen in proximity to these outlets. Toddlers might stick their fingers into the outlets out of pure curiosity, only to be shocked with electricity.

Be sure to make it clear to them that outlets should not be considered as toys. For those who have toddlers, it will a bit of a challenge to make them understand. As a tip, never use them while they are with you because the chances of them mimicking you are high. For those who have older children, be sure to tell them these things:

  1. Keep your fingers away from the outlets.
  2. Never put your toys or any other object near the outlets.
  3. Keep liquids away from outlets.

Basically, teach them that the place near electrical outlets is off-limits. As a safety precaution, you can use plastic inserts to block outlets or make creative furniture arrangements to hide them from plain sight!

 

Don’t let them use appliances alone

Apart from the electrical outlets themselves, it’s the appliances that can be a cause for electrical hazards for children, particularly their wires and plugs. Teach your children to ask for your help when they have to plug in appliances for now, or you can teach them the right way of holding plugs and wires so that they can do it on their own!

Aside from that, you should also remind them to never play with electrical appliances. Although some appliances are full of safety features, there are some that will always have the risk of malfunctioning.

Below is a list of safety tips focusing on appliances, wires, and plugs:

  1. Never insert a metal object in an appliance like a toaster or a microwave.
  2. Know that every plug has a rubber part that serves as its handle.
  3. When removing a plug, always hold it by the rubber handle. Never yank a plug by its cord.
  4. Always keep cord neat and tidy. Organized wires will not only be a pleasing sight to see, but it’ll also make sure that nobody will trip on them or accidentally remove them from the socket.
  5. Don’t plug in too many gadgets on extension cords.
  6. Only clean an appliance once you’ve unplugged it

Be Wary Of Water

Be Wary of Water

Always remind your children that when they’re wet, in the presence of water, or any liquids, it’s best to stay away from outlets, plugs, and wires. Water is a good conductor of electricity so it’s highly suggested that you prevent everyone from going near an outlet when they’re wet.

Here are a few tips related to the hazards that water bring to outlets.

  1. Never use an appliance when you’re near a sink, bathtub, or any source of water.
  2. Keep electrical cords away from any source of water.
  3. Don’t touch electrical appliances when you are touching water.
  4. Avoid using gadgets near water.

 

Key Takeaway

Electrical hazards are only dangerous if you are unaware of how to handle electricity. By educating your kids about the things listed above, you saving their lives and ensuring that they remain safe and sound in their own home.

Aside from this, you can opt to use Meiji’s Classic Outlets. These outlets have tested safe; they also conform to the world safety standards—making sure that your house, your children, and your entire family are safe!