Electrical Fires - What you need to know

7/24/2019 (Permalink)

Electrical Fires can be extremely damaging

Fireplaces and furnaces aren’t the only things that you need to worry about for fire disasters.  While those are more common in the winter, electrical fires can happen during any season at any time.   

What can cause an electrical fire? 

Any electrical appliance.  Lighting, Extension Cords, Outlets, Appliances, and Heat generating equipment are all at risk of electrical fires.   

Preventative Measures that can help 

Keep an eye out for product recalls on appliances and electrical wiring.  A simple search on recalls.gov will give you a quick answer.   

Product recalls happen, but so do counterfeit products.  Counterfeit products land on store shelves more than you think and they are made cheaply and have a higher risk of malfunctioning.  You can refer to the Consumer Product Safety Commission for a list of items.   

DO NOT plug appliances into extension cords.  Plug appliances straight into the wall for appropriate operation. 

Any appliance that generates heat will use more electricity.  Try not to plug heat related items into one circuit.  This includes hair dryers, space heaters, etc.   

If you home was built before 1990, you will want to check and make sure your wiring is not old and out of date.  With such an advancement of technology, some homes aren’t equipped for the amount of high technology electricity that we use on a daily basis.  

What to do  

DO NOT try and use water to eliminate the electrical fire.  This will out you at risk for electrocution.  Having a fire extinguisher on hand is the best way to counter and electrical fire. 

To reduce the most risk, it is best to turn of the electric (if possible and safe), leave the home, and call 911.