Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in your house make your life less stressful, but when you operate household appliances unsafely, they might pose significant health risks. You will want to protect your appliances and be sure they won’t become dangers by adhering to these appliance safety suggestions from Cooper Appliance Repair.

The tips in this post can help to prevent fires and injuries related to kitchen appliances. Even still, hazards might still happen. If an appliance has problems or starts to malfunction and becomes a safety concern, reach out to a professional appliance repair.

GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations in Your Home

Laundry rooms, kitchens, basements, bathrooms, garages and outdoor areas are susceptible to possible moisture or water. Of course, electricity and water do not go together, so power cords and wires should always be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

This particular type of electrical outlet will prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit if any imbalances in power occur.

If you do not already have GFCI outlets installed in wet rooms around your house, it’s time to install them or call an electrician in CITY. After that, for further safety measures, follow the warnings of manufacturer appliance manuals that note that they are not for outdoor use.

Cords, Outlets & Electronics Away From Damp Areas

Some appliances are specially designed for outdoor areas, such as gas and charcoal grills. If you have electrical appliances outdoors – including refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers and ice makers, electric tools and others – ensure that all plugs and outlets are 100% dry. Using weatherproof electronics help, along with GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are Only a Momentary Option

Extension cords can pose a lot of potential risks, this includes:

The likelihood of a loose connection that could cause sparks and a fire.
The likelihood of power fluctuations that would break the appliance.
Greater susceptibility to moisture penetration that might lead to 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 right gauge for the electrical tool in question. The smaller the gauge, the greater the cord size. For instance, a basic electrical extension cord for a lamp might have a 16-gauge cord while a larger cord for a air conditioner unit requires a 12-gauge wire.

The length of the cord is also crucial. The longer the extension cord is, the more power is lost on the way, something known as voltage drop. Short extension cords are advised for electric tools and outdoor equipment.

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

It’s obvious to guess that you know how to operate a new washing machine or dishwasher without consulting the manual, but reading the manufacturer instructions is important for a lot of reasons:

You will want to find out if your house’s electrical wiring is sufficient to power the new appliance. You might have to install a circuit to stop overloading your current ones.

You learn more about features you would not have otherwise have known about.
You learn whether the new appliance is intended for outdoor locations or not.

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

Unplug Small Appliances When Not in Use

You are able to prevent unnecessary energy consumption by unplugging them when you are not operating them. This is because small appliances include LED signals, clocks and other features while in standby mode.

Unplug televisions, monitors, routers, video game systems, phone chargers and more to reduce unnecessary energy usage. But remember, it is worthwhile to keep DVRs and similar items plugged in to not miss their automatic background features.

For even more tips on how to use appliances safely, or to call a local appliance repair company, please contact Cooper Appliance Repair. We can repair all major household appliances!

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