Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in a home can make your life much less stressful, but if you use household appliances incorrectly, they could produce significant health risks. It is important to maintain your appliances and make sure they will not turn into dangers by following these household appliance safety suggestions from Rogers Appliance Repair.

The tips below can help to prevent fires and injuries from broken appliances. That being said, hazards can still occur. In the event a home appliance has issues or starts to malfunction and becomes a safety risk, reach out to a professional appliance repair CITY.

Install GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations

Kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, basements, outdoor areas and garages are all susceptible to possible wetness or dripping water. As you well know, electricity and water don’t mix, so electrical cords and wires should be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

This prevents electrocution by tripping the circuit if any imbalances in electricity occur.

If you do not have GFCI outlets in damp rooms inside and around your home, it’s time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. Once that is done, for additional safety, be sure to heed the warnings of certain appliance manuals that indicate a home appliance is not designed for outdoor use.

Cords, Electronics & Outlets Away From Wet Areas

Many appliances are specially manufactured for outdoor use, like charcoal and gas grills, for example. If you have any electrical appliances outdoors – including refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers and ice makers, power tools and others – be sure that all of the plugs and outlets are not wet. Weatherproof electronics help with this, combined with GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are a Momentary Answer

An extension cord poses a lot of evident risks, this includes:

The likelihood of a loose connection that could lead to sparks and a fire.
The chance of power inconsistencies that may damage the appliance.
Increased susceptibility to water penetration that can result in electrocution.
The likelihood of cords overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an inadequate extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.

When determining an extension cord for short-term use, ensure that it is the correct gauge for the electrical tool in question. The smaller the gauge, the greater the cord size. For instance, a extension cord for a radio might have a 16-gauge cord whereas a bigger cord for a window air conditioner needs a 12-gauge wire.

The length of the cord is also important. The longer the extension cord, the more electricity is used up enroute, this is called voltage drop. Shorter extension cords are advised for power tools and equipment.

Be Sure to Read the Operating Manual for Any Appliance You Buy

It is simple to assume that you know how to use a brand new home appliance without consulting the operating manual, but reading the manufacturer instructions is important for many reasons:

You will find out whether your house’s wiring is sufficient to power the appliance. You may have to install a circuit to prevent overloading your current ones.

You learn more about complicated features you might not otherwise known about.
You understand whether the appliance is intended for outdoor locations or not.

You don’t have the extreme stress that can come from attempting to operate a new home appliance with no instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances When Not in Use

You can prevent unnecessary energy use by unplugging appliances when not in use. The reason is small appliances often include LED lights, timers and other features during standby times.

Unplug monitors, TVs, printers, modems, routers, game systems, cellphone chargers and more to cut back on wasteful energy use. But remember, it’s worthwhile to keep DVRs and similar electronics plugged in to not miss their background functions.

For even more tips on using appliances safely, or to hire a local appliance repair company, please contact Rogers Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can repair all name brand home appliances!

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