Essential Electric Safety Tips from the City of Statesville

May is National Electric Safety Month

Electricity is an essential part of our daily lives, but it can also pose significant hazards if not handled with caution. To ensure your safety and the safety of those around you, it's crucial to be aware of electrical safety guidelines. Let's review essential electric safety tips from the Electrical Safety Foundation (ESFI). By following these guidelines, you can minimize the risk of burns, shocks, and even electrocution.

Don't Overload Your Home

According to the National Fire Protection Association, 47,700 home fires in the US are caused by electrical failure or malfunction each year. These fires result in 418 deaths, 4,570 injuries, and $1.4 billion in property damage. Overloaded electrical circuits are a major cause of residential fires. Help lower your risk of electrical fires by not overloading your electrical system. 

OVERLOADED CIRCUIT WARNING SIGNS:

⚡ Flickering, blinking, or dimming lights

⚡Warm or discolored wall plates

⚡Burning odor coming from receptacles or wall switches

⚡Frequent tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses

⚡Cracked, sizzling, or buzzing from receptacles

⚡ Mild shock or tingle from appliances, receptacles, or switches

How to Prevent Overloads

⚡Never use extension cords or multi-outlet converters for appliances

⚡A heavy reliance on extension cords is an indication that you have too few outlets to address your needs. Have a qualified electrician inspect your home and add new outlets. 

⚡All major appliances should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. Only plug one heat-producing appliance into a receptacle outlet at a time.

⚡Power strips only add additional outlets; they do not change the amount of power being received from the outlet.

The CPSC estimates more than 50% of electrical fires that occur every year can be prevented by Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs). To learn more about AFCIs, visit www.ESFI.org.

Only Use the appropriate watt bulb for any lighting fixture. Using a larger watt light bulb may cause a fire.

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