Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in a house make life much less stressful, but if you operate appliances incorrectly, they might pose evident risks. You should maintain appliances and be sure they do not become hazards by following these helpful household appliance safety recommendations from Township Appliance Repair.

The tips in this article will help prevent fires and injuries due to broken appliances. Even still, hazards could still occur. In the event an appliance has issues or malfunctions and becomes a danger, hire a local appliance repair Toms River New Jersey.

GFCI Outlets in Damp Locations in Your Home

Laundry rooms, kitchens, entry ways, basements, bathrooms, outdoor areas and garages are susceptible to moisture or water. As you well know, electricity and water don’t mix, therefore electrical cords and wires should always be plugged into GFCI outlets.

This prevents electrocution by tripping the circuit if any inconsistencies in electricity arise.

If you don’t have GFCI outlets installed in damp locations inside and around your house, it is time to install them or call an electrician in Toms River. Once that is done, for additional safety measures, heed the warnings of appliance manuals that note that they are not for outdoor use.

Electrical Cords, Outlets & Electronics Away From Wet Areas

Quite a few home appliances are manufactured for the outdoors, such as barbecue grills, for example. If you use any electrical appliances outside – including dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers and ice makers, power tools and others – monitor that all outlets and cords are not wet. Weatherproof electronics help with this, as do GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.

Extension Cords are a Temporary Solution

An extension cord poses several noticeable risks, including:

The chance for a loose connection that sometimes can lead to sparks and start a fire.
The possibility of power fluctuations that may break the appliance.
Increased susceptibility to moisture penetration that might result in electrocution.
The probability of wires overheating and turning into a fire hazard when an low-quality extension cord is paired with a high-power appliance.

When determining an extension cord for limited-time use, be sure it is the correct gauge for the electrical tool in question. The lower the gauge, the larger the wire size. For instance, a electrical extension cord for a garden tool might have a 16-gauge cord where a bigger cord for a AC unit requires a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also important. The longer the cord is, the more electricity is lost enroute, this is called voltage drop. Shorter extension cords are advised for electric tools and similar outdoor equipment.

Always Read the Operating Manual for Any Appliance You Purchase

It is easy to assume that you know how to use your brand new appliance without reading the operating manual, but consulting the manufacturer guidelines is necessary for many reasons:

You should find out if your home’s wiring is sufficient to support the appliance. You may need to install a better circuit to stop overloading your current ones.

You learn more about advanced features you would not have otherwise known about.
You discover if the new appliance is OK for outdoor use or not.

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

Unplug Small Appliances in Your Home When Not in Use

You can reduce unnecessary energy use by unplugging appliances when you aren’t using them. This is because small appliances sometimes include LED indicators, clocks and other energy-consuming features standby mode.

Unplug monitors, TVs, modems, printers, routers, game consoles, cellphone chargers and more to reduce unnecessary energy consumption. Just remember, it’s a good idea to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to prevent missing out on their automatic background features.

For even more tips on using home appliances safely, or to call a professional appliance repair service, please contact Township Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can fix all popular home appliances!

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