August is here, which means that students of all ages are preparing to go back to school. The long summer days filled with outdoor time, barbecues and vacations are behind us, as we return to the structure and schedules that come with the school year.
While it’s always sad to see summer end, back to school is nevertheless an exciting time, filled with energy, curiosity, and new opportunities. Even as adults, it’s easy to feel the excitement of the season. Whether or not you’re preparing to go back to school this August, you can still take part in the excitement that comes from learning something new.
In the spirit of the back-to-school season, today we’re going to give you a lesson in electrical safety with the goal of making you a little more knowledgeable about your home’s electrical systems and ways to ensure that you are using them safely.
Your DIY Electrical Safety Checklist
While ensuring that your electrical systems are properly installed and maintained is an important part of electrical safety, there is still more that you need to do to ensure that your home is safe.
There are a few simple and quick DIY safety precautions you can adhere to in order to avoid electrical dangers and electrical fires. A few things that you should keep in mind are:
Never take on a home project that involves electrical systems without the necessary training and experience.- Anytime you are working with your home’s electrical systems, turn off the power at the main panel.
- Make sure that you don’t overload circuits.
- Always use extension cords properly.
- Ensure that you have an adequate number of working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
The Importance of Smoke Alarms
Perhaps the most important way that you can practice electrical safety is by ensuring that you have working smoke alarms throughout your house.
Smoke alarms alert you to the dangers of smoke and fire, giving you adequate time to get out of your home before it is consumed with fire and smoke.
The extra warning that they give can mean the difference between life and death, and the presence of working smoke alarms drastically reduces the risk of fatalities from fires. Your smoke alarms should be tested at least once a month to ensure that they’re working properly.
You should replace the battery at least once a year, and the entire unit should be replaced at least every 10 years. Smoke alarms are easy to install and maintain, and they play an essential role in keeping your home and family safe.
Don’t Overlook Baby Proofing
Electrical safety takes on a whole new meaning if you have a baby or small children in your home. If you do, it’s important that you take the time to baby-proof your electrical systems to avoid dangers to your child.
Perhaps the most important part of baby proofing is the electrical outlet covering. All outlets should be covered so that babies cannot access them. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure that wires are not accessible to be pulled or played with.
Finally, it’s important to make sure that lamps and appliances are in safe spaces where children cannot get to them. Hopefully, these tips will help you to keep your home and family safe from electrical dangers. If you have friends that are in need of electrical safety tips, please share this with them so we can help keep everyone safe.
