Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in your home often make life much easier, but when you operate them the wrong way, they could produce evident risks. It is best to protect appliances and ensure that they will not turn into dangers by following these helpful appliance safety tips from Hayes Appliance Repair.

The tips in this article will help prevent fires and injuries from broken kitchen appliances. That being said, hazards could still happen. In the event a home appliance has problems or starts to malfunction and becomes dangerous, call a professional appliance repair.

GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations in Your Home

Kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, bathrooms, mud rooms, garages and outdoor areas can be susceptible to possible dampness or dripping water. As you are well aware, electricity and moisture don’t go together, so electrical cords and wires should always be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

This can prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit if any imbalances in power arise.

If you do not already have GFCI outlets installed in damp locations around your house, now is the time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. Once that is done, for additional safety, follow the warnings of appliance manuals that indicate they are not for outdoor areas.

Electrical Cords, Outlets & Electronics Away From Wet Areas

Quite a few appliances are specially built for the outdoors, such as gas and charcoal grills, for example. If you have any electrical appliances outdoors – including refrigerators, dishwashers, ice makers and freezers, power tools and more – monitor that all outlets and cords are not wet. Using weatherproof electronics will help, combined with GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are a Temporary Option

Extension cords pose several risks, this includes:

The likelihood of a loose connection that sometimes can result in sparks and a fire.
The chance of power fluctuations that could damage the appliance.
Greater vulnerability to moisture penetration that could lead to electrocution.
The chance of cords overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an inadequate extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.

When choosing an extension cord for limited-time use, be sure it’s the appropriate gauge for the electrical tool in question. The smaller the gauge, the larger the wire size. For example, a basic extension cord for a lamp may have a 16-gauge wire where a larger cord for a air conditioner uses a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also important. The longer the extension cord is, the more power is lost on the way, also known as voltage drop. Short extension cords are advised for power tools and similar equipment.

Always Be Sure to Read the Manual for Any Appliance You Buy

It is simple to guess that you know how to operate your brand new home appliance without reading the operating manual, but consulting the manufacturer instructions is important for many reasons:

You should find out if your house’s wiring is sufficient to support the new appliance. You may have to install a better circuit to stop overloading your current ones.

You learn more about advanced features you would not have otherwise known.
You learn if the new appliance is OK for outdoor areas or not.

You do not have the extreme frustration that can sometimes come from trying to operate a new appliance with no instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances in Your Home When Not in Use

You are able to limit unnecessary energy consumption by unplugging them when not in use. The reason is small appliances often include LED lights, timers and other energy-draining features standby times.

Unplug televisions, monitors, internet routers, video game systems, cellphone chargers and more to reduce wasteful energy usage. But remember, it’s a good idea to keep DVRs and similar electronics plugged in to not miss their background features.

For additional tips on how to use appliances safely, or to hire a professional appliance repair service, please contact Hayes Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can repair all common home appliances!

OTHER RESOURCES:

Appliance Repair Cost
DIY Appliance Repair Tips
Repair or Replace Appliances
Refrigerator Parts