Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in a house often make your life much easier, but if you use appliances unsafely, they could create noticeable health risks. It is best to care for your appliances and ensure that they won’t become dangers by adhering to these household appliance safety recommendations from Morris Appliance Repair.

The tips below help prevent fires and injuries from broken appliances. That being said, hazards might still occur. In the event a home appliance breaks or begins to malfunction and becomes dangerous, hire a professional appliance repair CITY.

Install GFCI Outlets in Damp Locations

Kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, basements, outdoor areas and garages can be susceptible to possible moisture or water. As you are well aware, electricity and water do not mix, so power cords should be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

This prevents electrocution by tripping the circuit if any inconsistencies in electricity occur.

If you don’t currently have GFCI outlets installed in wet locations inside of your house, it is time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. After that, for further safety measures, be sure to heed the warnings of certain appliance manuals that indicate an appliance is not meant for outdoor use.

Electrical Cords, Electronics & Outlets Far Away From Water

Many appliances are built for outdoor areas, like gas and charcoal grills, for example. If you use any electrical appliances outdoors – including refrigerators, dishwashers, ice makers and freezers, power tools and more – be sure that all of the outlets and cords are dry. Weatherproof electronics help, as do GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are a Momentary Solution

An extension cord poses several noticeable risks, including:

The potential for a loose connection that could lead to sparks and start a fire.
The likelihood of power inconsistencies that will damage the appliance.
Greater vulnerability to moisture penetration that can lead to electrocution.
The odds of wires overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an insufficient extension cord is used for a high-power appliance.

When choosing an extension cord for limited-time use, ensure it is the right gauge for the electrical tool in question. The smaller the gauge, the bigger the cord size. For example, a simple extension cord for a radio might have a 16-gauge cord where a heavy-duty cord for a air conditioner needs a 12-gauge wire.

The length is also a factor. The longer the cord, the more power is used up enroute, this is known as voltage drop. Shorter extension cords are advised for electric tools and outdoor equipment.

Read the Manual for Any Appliance You Purchase

It is simple to guess that you know how to use a new washing machine or dishwasher without reading the manual, but reading the guidelines is important for a lot of reasons:

You should find out if your house’s electrical wiring is good enough to support the appliance. You might need to install a circuit to stop overloading your existing ones.

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

You don’t have the extreme stress that can sometimes come from trying to operate a new appliance without instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances in Your Home When Not Being Used

You can prevent unnecessary energy usage by unplugging them when you aren’t using them. This is because small appliances often include LED signals, timers and other energy-consuming features while in standby times.

Unplug televisions, computer monitors, internet routers, game systems, smart phone chargers and more to limit unnecessary energy usage. But remember, it’s worthwhile to keep DVRs and similar items plugged in to prevent missing out on their background functions.

For more tips on using appliances safely, or to hire a local appliance repair company, please contact Morris Appliance Repair. We can repair all popular household appliances!

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