Electrical fires can do some serious damage to your home and put your family’s safety at risk. The good news is electrical fires are often preventable. Here are a few things you can do around your home to help prevent an electrical fire:

Inspect electrical wiring: Have your electric wiring checked to prevent an electrical fire. Wiring does not last forever, so it is a good idea to have your wiring checked if your home is more than 10 years old.

Check Cords: Make sure they are not frayed or cracked, placed under carpets or rugs, or placed in high traffic areas. Do not nail or staple them to walls, floors or other objects.

Do not tamper with electrical plugs: You should never remove the third prong on a plug to try to make it fit into a two-conductor outlet. To prevent an electrical fire, you should also never bend or twist the prongs on the plug, as this can lead to an electrical hazard.

Space heaters: Because these types of heaters are portable, many times people put them too close to combustible surfaces such as curtains, beds, clothing, chairs, couches and rugs. Coil space heaters are especially dangerous in this regard because the coils become so hot they will almost instantaneously ignite any nearby flammable surface.

If you do use space heaters, use the radiator-type that diffuse heat over the entire surface of the appliance. These are less likely to ignite flammable items, but should still be kept away from them.

How to put out an electrical fire: It’s essential to know what to do if an electrical fire does happen. As with all fires, don’t try to be a hero. That’s what firefighters are for. If a blaze gets too big, don’t try to fight it; just escape safely and call 911.

Want to make sure you are protected from an Electrical Fire? Contact Comet Electric today at 724-266-7177[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]