Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in your house often make life less stressful, but when you use appliances unsafely, they could produce evident health risks. It is important to care for appliances and ensure that they won’t become dangers by adhering to these appliance safety recommendations from B&G Round Rock Appliance Repair.

The tips in this post can help prevent fires and injuries from appliances. However, hazards could still happen. If an appliance breaks or begins to malfunction and becomes dangerous, hire a professional appliance repair Round Rock.

Install GFCI Outlets in Damp Locations in a Home

Kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, bathrooms, garages and outdoor areas can be susceptible to wetness or water. Of course, electricity and moisture do not go together, so power cords and wires should always be plugged into GFCI outlets.

This prevents electrocution by tripping the circuit when any inconsistencies in electricity arise.

If you don’t have GFCI outlets in wet locations inside of your home, it’s time to install them or call an electrician in Round Rock. Then, for even more safety measures, follow the warnings of appliance manuals that indicate they are not meant for outdoor areas.

Cords, Outlets & Electronics Far Away From Wet Areas

Several home appliances are specifically manufactured for the outdoors, like charcoal and gas grills, for example. If you make us of electrical appliances outside – including dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers and ice makers, electric tools and more – monitor that all plugs and outlets are not wet. Weatherproof electronics can help with this, along with GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.

Extension Cords are a Momentary Solution

An extension cord poses many evident risks, this includes:

  • The potential for a loose connection that could lead to sparks and a fire.
  • The chance of power inconsistencies that might break the appliance.
  • Increased vulnerability to water penetration that could result in electrocution.
  • The potential for wires overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an low-quality extension cord is paired with a high-power appliance.

When choosing an extension cord for temporary use, be sure that it’s the right gauge for the electrical tool in question. The lower the gauge, the bigger the wire size. For example, a basic electrical extension cord for a lamp could have a 16-gauge wire whereas a heavy-duty cord for a AC unit needs a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also important. The longer the extension cord, the more power is lost on the way, something referred to as voltage drop. Shorter cords are good for electric tools and equipment.

Always Read the Operating Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Purchase

It’s easy to assume that you know how to use a brand new appliance without reading the manual, but consulting the manufacturer instructions is necessary for a lot of reasons:

You should find out if your house’s electrical wiring is good enough to power the new appliance. You may need to install a better circuit to prevent overloading your existing ones.

You learn more about features you wouldn’t have otherwise have known about.
You discover whether the new appliance is safe for outdoor locations or not.

You don’t have the extreme frustration that can sometimes come from attempting to start a new home appliance without instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances if You Are Not Using Them

You are able to reduce unnecessary energy usage by unplugging small appliances when not in use. The reason is small appliances sometimes include LED indicators, timers and other energy-consuming features standby times.

Unplug televisions, computer monitors, internet routers, video game systems, phone chargers and more to cut back on unnecessary energy use. Just remember, it’s a good idea to keep DVRs and similar electronics plugged in to not miss their automatic background functions.

For extra tips on how to use home appliances safely, or to schedule a local appliance repair company, please contact B&G Round Rock Appliance Repair. Our technicians can repair all popular home appliances!

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