Electrical Safety Tips for Your Home

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Electricity is one of the advantages of modern life. We don’t notice it until we don’t have it. No one stops to appreciate the warm glow from switching on a light on a dark winter’s morning or the fresh food stored for days and sometimes even weeks in the fridge. These things have become so common in the modern world, and are taken for granted. Hexo Services understands how important electricity is to keep a home running smoothly. 

Pre-purchase Condition Report

Before moving in, the electricity in your home should be checked. You don’t want the contents of your standalone fridge melting all over the floor. This can lead to extensive damage. Faulty electrics can even lead to a fire. Having a pre-purchase report means a trained electrician will go around the property searching for signs of visual damage that an untrained eye won’t notice without needing to switch off the mains. If you want a more detailed inspection, A Residential Electrical Condition Report will test the circuits. 

Old Wiring
Old wiring is never going to get along with modern appliances. Wires, like anything else, will breakdown over time. Even if you managed to track down authentic retro and vintage appliances for your atomic home, and the house’s wiring is old, it needs to be rewired. Retro and vintage appliances should also be rewired when possible. 

The wires inside the walls might be loose or not actually connected to anything. Live wires might be free to spark inside dusty cavities when you flick a switch and wonder what it is for. If your home requires total rewiring, you can have additional sockets installed to cut down on extension use. 

Water

Water and electricity don’t mix. Water can’t even be used to put out electrical fires. Each home should include a series of fire extinguishers, including one for electric fires. 

If your home has flooded, your appliances might be damaged. Do not use them until a trained electrician has said it is safe to do so. If possible, move appliances to a high shelf or upper floor if there’s a chance of flooding. The wires in the wall may have been damaged in the flood. Do not switch on the mains until after they have been inspected and it is safe to do so. 

In the kitchen, do not use handheld appliance by the sink. Be careful when washing them. Only take out the submergible components to wash. When wiping the outside, unplug them first. 

Hairdryers aren’t for use in the bathroom. Special waterproof shower radios can be purchased. 

Appliance Safety

When something is not in use, unplug it if possible. If it isn’t possible, you might be able to switch off the socket. Obviously, you can’t do this with the fridge. That is always in use. There’s no reason why the kettle needs to be plugged in all the time. Always use appliances according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If the mains keep tripping when something is in use, this appliance needs to be replaced. 

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