Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in your home often make life easier, but when you use appliances unsafely, they could produce significant risks. You will want to protect your appliances and make sure they won’t become dangers by following these household appliance safety recommendations from Lane Appliance Repair.

The professional tips in this post will help to prevent fires and injuries from broken kitchen appliances. However, hazards might still happen. If an appliance has problems or begins to malfunction and becomes a danger, hire a professional appliance repair CITY.

GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations in a Home

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

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

If you do not already have GFCI outlets in wet locations inside of your house, it is time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. After that, for further safety, be sure to heed the warnings of manufacturer appliance manuals that indicate a home appliance is not meant for outdoor areas.

Electrical Wires, Outlets & Electronics Far Away From Water

Quite a few appliances are designed for the outdoors, such as barbecue grills. If you use any electrical appliances outdoors – including refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers and ice makers, power tools and others – be sure that all outlets and cords are 100% dry. Using weatherproof electronics can help with this, along with GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.

Extension Cords are a Temporary Solution

Extension cords can pose several noticeable risks, this includes:

The likelihood of a loose connection that can create sparks and start a fire.
The chance of power fluctuations that can damage the appliance.
Increased vulnerability to water penetration that can result in electrocution.
The potential for wires overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an insufficient extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.

When deciding on an extension cord for limited-time use, make sure that it’s the appropriate gauge for the home appliance in question. The lower the gauge, the greater the size for the cord. For example, a basic household extension cord for a radio could have a 16-gauge cord while a bigger cord for a window air conditioner requires a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also important. The longer the cord is, the more power is lost enroute, also referred to as voltage drop. Shorter cords are good for power tools and similar equipment.

Read the Operating Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Purchase

It’s obvious to assume that you know how to operate a new washing machine or dishwasher without consulting the operating manual, but consulting the guidelines is necessary for several reasons:

You will find out whether your home’s wiring is good enough to support the appliance. You may have to install a circuit to prevent overloading any current ones.

You learn about advanced features you wouldn’t have otherwise have known about.
You learn if the appliance is OK for outdoor areas or not.

You do not have the stress that can come from trying to operate a appliance without instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances When Not Being Used

You can prevent unnecessary energy use by unplugging small appliances when not in use. This is because small appliances often include LED signals, clocks and other features standby mode.

Unplug TVs, computer monitors, routers, game systems, phone chargers and more to stop unnecessary energy usage. But remember, it’s worthwhile to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to not miss their background functions.

For even more tips on ways to use home appliances safely, or to call a local appliance repair service, please contact Lane Appliance Repair. Our technicians can repair all major household appliances!

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