Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in your home can make your life easier, but when you use household appliances incorrectly, they might pose noticeable risks. You should protect your appliances and ensure that they do not turn into hazards by following these home appliance safety tips from Valor Appliance Repair.

The tips below will help prevent fires and injuries from broken appliances. However, hazards could still occur. If an appliance breaks or starts to malfunction and becomes a danger, reach out to a professional appliance repair.

GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations

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

This prevents electrocution by tripping the circuit when any imbalances in electricity occur.

If you do not currently have GFCI outlets in wet locations around your home, it is time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. After that, for further safety measures, you will want to heed the warnings of certain appliance manuals that indicate a household appliance is not meant for outdoor use.

Electrical Cords, Electronics & Outlets Away From Wet Areas

Quite a few appliances are specifically manufactured for the outdoors, like barbecue grills. If you make us of electrical appliances outdoors – including refrigerators, dishwashers, ice makers and freezers, power tools and more – monitor that all plugs and outlets are dry. Weatherproof electronics can help, as do GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are Only a Temporary Option

Extension cords pose many noticeable risks, including:

The likelihood of loose connections that can cause sparks and cause a fire.
The possibility of power fluctuations that will break the appliance.
Greater vulnerability to moisture penetration that might lead to electrocution.
The probability of wires overheating and turning into a fire hazard when an low-quality extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.

When choosing an extension cord for short-term use, ensure it is the correct gauge for the electrical tool in question. The smaller the gauge, the larger the wire size. For example, a simple household extension cord for a radio may have a 16-gauge wire while a bigger cord for a window air conditioner requires a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also important. The longer the cord, the more electricity is gone enroute, also called voltage drop. Shorter extension cords are good for electric tools and similar outdoor equipment.

Read the Operating Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Purchase

It’s easy to guess that you know how to operate your brand new washing machine or dishwasher without consulting the operating manual, but consulting the guidelines is necessary for several reasons:

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

You learn about features you would not have otherwise known.
You discover if the new appliance is intended for outdoor locations or not.

You avoid the stress that can come from attempting to start a new home appliance without instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances in Your Home When Not Being Used

You are able to limit unnecessary energy usage by unplugging small appliances when not in use. This is because small appliances sometimes include LED signals, clocks and other energy-consuming features during standby times.

Unplug monitors, televisions, modems, printers, internet routers, video game systems, smart phone chargers and more to reduce unnecessary energy usage. Just remember, it’s alright to keep DVRs and similar items plugged in to not miss their background features.

For even more tips on how to use appliances safely, or to schedule a professional appliance repair company, please contact Valor Appliance Repair. Our technicians can repair all name brand home appliances!

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