Electrical Safety

Don't Get Shocked!

Fire Fighters respond to over 44,000 home fires involving electrical issues each year. These fires can cause untold damage to homes and their owners, including injury and death. These fires will raise your Homeowners Insurance rates. Many of these fires are preventable. Follow these tips and make your home a safe place for you and your family!
    ·         Replace or repair damaged or loose electrical cords.

·         Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under carpets.

·         In homes with small children, make sure your home has tamper-resistant (TR) receptacles.

·         Consider having additional circuits or outlets added by a qualified electrician so you do not have to use extension cords.

·         Follow the manufacturer's instructions for plugging an appliance into a receptacle outlet.

·         Avoid overloading outlets. Plug only one high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet at a time.

·         If outlets or switches feel warm, frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuits, or flickering or dimming lights, call a qualified electrician.

·         Place lamps on level surfaces, away from things that can burn and use bulbs that match the lamp's recommended wattage.

·         Make sure your home has ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in the kitchen bathroom(s), laundry, basement, and outdoor areas.

·         Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) should be installed in your home to protect     electrical outlets.                                                                                                                

Safety tips need to be followed by everyone in the home.
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If you have an electrical fire in your home, call your insurance agent/carrier to file a claim.