Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances inside of your home make life easier, but when you use appliances the wrong way, they might pose evident risks. You should care for your appliances and be sure they won’t turn into dangers by adhering to these helpful household appliance safety tips from Providence Appliance Repair.

The professional tips below can help prevent fires and injuries related to broken home appliances. Even still, hazards might still occur. In the event a home appliance breaks or malfunctions and becomes a safety risk, reach out to a professional appliance repair Providence.

Install GFCI Outlets in Damp Locations in Your Home

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

This type of outlet prevents electrocution by tripping the circuit when any imbalances in power occur.

If you do not currently have GFCI outlets installed in wet locations inside of your home, it is time to install them or call an electrician in Providence. Once that is done, for further safety, be sure to heed the warnings of appliance manuals that indicate they are not meant for outdoor areas.

Cords, Outlets & Electronics Away From Wet Areas

A lot of home appliances are built for outdoor areas, like barbecue grills, for example. If you make us of electrical appliances outside – including dishwashers, refrigerators, ice makers, electric tools and more – monitor that all of the outlets and cords are 100% dry. Using weatherproof electronics will help with this, in addition to GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are Only a Temporary Answer

Extension cords pose a lot of noticeable risks, this includes:

The chance for a loose connection that could lead to sparks and cause a fire.
The possibility of power interruptions that can damage the appliance.
Greater vulnerability to moisture penetration that could cause electrocution.
The potential for cords overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an inadequate extension cord is paired with a high-power appliance.

When choosing an extension cord for short-term use, ensure that it’s the right gauge for the electrical equipment in question. The lower the gauge, the larger the size for the cord. For instance, a simple extension cord for a garden tool may have a 16-gauge cord where a heavy-duty cord for a AC unit requires a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also crucial. The longer the cord, the more electricity is gone enroute, a phenomenon called voltage drop. Shorter extension cords are recommended for power tools and similar equipment.

Be Sure to Read the Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Purchase

It is simple to guess that you know how to use a new appliance without consulting the manual, but reading the manufacturer instructions is necessary for a lot of reasons:

You should find out whether your home’s electrical wiring is good enough to support the new appliance. You might have to install a circuit to prevent overloading any existing ones.

You learn more about advanced features you would not have otherwise known.
You learn if the appliance is OK for outdoor use or not.

You do not have the stress that can sometimes come from attempting to start a appliance with no instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances in Your Home if You Aren’t Using Them

You are able to stop unnecessary energy usage by unplugging appliances when you aren’t operating them. This is because small appliances often include LED signals, clocks and other energy-draining features during standby mode.

Unplug monitors, televisions, printers, modems, routers, game consoles, cellphone chargers and more to limit wasteful energy consumption. Just remember, it’s worthwhile to keep DVRs and similar items plugged in to prevent missing out on their automatic background features.

For more tips on using home appliances safely, or to hire a local appliance repair service, please contact Providence Appliance Repair. We can fix all major household appliances!

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