Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in your house make your life much easier, but when you use appliances incorrectly, they could create significant health risks. You will want to maintain your appliances and ensure that they won’t become dangers by adhering to these helpful household appliance safety tips from Swift Appliance Repair.

The tips below help to prevent fires and injuries due to broken kitchen appliances. Even still, hazards could still happen. If an appliance has problems or begins to malfunction and becomes dangerous, reach out to a professional appliance repair.

GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations

Kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, basements, mud rooms, garages and outdoor areas can be susceptible to wetness or water. Of course, electricity and moisture don’t go together, so electrical cords should always be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

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

If you do not currently have GFCI outlets installed in damp areas inside and around your home, now is the time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. Then, for further safety measures, be sure to heed the warnings of certain appliance manuals that indicate they are not designed for outdoor use.

Electrical Cords, Electronics & Outlets Away From Damp Areas

Many appliances are specially designed for outdoor use, such as charcoal and gas grills. If you have electrical appliances outside – including refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers and ice makers, power tools and more – monitor that all of the outlets and plugs are dry. Weatherproof electronics can help with this, along with GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are a Temporary Answer

An extension cord poses several potential risks, including:

The likelihood of a loose connection that might cause sparks and a fire.
The chance of power inconsistencies that could damage the appliance.
Greater vulnerability to water penetration that may lead to electrocution.
The probability of wires overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an low-quality extension cord is used for a high-power appliance.

When deciding on an extension cord for temporary use, ensure that it’s the correct gauge for the electrical equipment in question. The lower the gauge, the bigger the size for the cord. For example, a basic electrical extension cord for a radio might have a 16-gauge cord where a bigger cord for a air conditioner unit needs a 12-gauge wire.

The length is also crucial. The longer the cord is, the more electricity is used up on the way, also known as voltage drop. Short extension cords are advised for power tools and similar equipment.

Be Sure to Read the Operating Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Buy

It is easy to guess that you know how to operate a brand new washing machine or dishwasher without consulting the manual, but reading the manufacturer instructions is necessary for a lot of reasons:

You should find out whether your home’s electrical wiring is sufficient to support the new appliance. You may need to install a new circuit to prevent overloading your current ones.

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

You avoid the extreme frustration that can sometimes come from trying to use a new home appliance with no instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances if You Aren’t Using Them

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

Unplug TVs, monitors, internet routers, game systems, cellphone chargers and more to limit unnecessary energy usage. But remember, it is worthwhile to keep DVRs and similar electronics plugged in to prevent missing out on their background functions.

For additional tips on using home appliances safely, or to schedule a professional appliance repair service, please contact Swift Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can repair all popular household appliances!

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