Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances inside of your home make your life much easier, but when you operate them unsafely, they might produce significant risks. It is important to maintain appliances and be sure they do not turn into hazards by adhering to these home appliance safety tips from First Rate Appliance Repair.

The tips below will help prevent fires and injuries from home appliances. Even still, hazards could still happen. In the event a home appliance has problems or malfunctions and becomes a safety issue, reach out to a professional appliance repair.

GFCI Outlets in Damp Locations in a Home

Kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, basements, mud rooms, garages and outdoor areas are all susceptible to possible moisture or dripping water. As you well know, electricity and moisture do not mix, so power cords should be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

This can prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit if any interruptions in power arise.

If you do not currently have GFCI outlets in wet locations inside and around your house, now is the time to install them or call an electrician in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Once that is done, for even more safety, follow the warnings of manufacturer appliance manuals that indicate they are not designed for outdoor use.

Wires, Electronics & Outlets Far Away From Wet Areas

Some home appliances are specifically manufactured for outdoor areas, such as charcoal and gas grills. If you have any electrical appliances outdoors – including dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers and ice makers, power tools and more – be sure that all of the cords and outlets are not wet. Weatherproof electronics can help with this, in addition to GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.

Extension Cords are a Momentary Option

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

• The likelihood of loose connections that could lead to sparks and a fire.
• The likelihood of power fluctuations that might damage the appliance.
• Greater vulnerability to moisture penetration that might lead to electrocution.
• The potential for wires overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an insufficient extension cord is used for a high-power appliance.

When choosing an extension cord for limited-time use, be sure it is the appropriate gauge for the electrical tool in question. The lower the gauge, the greater the cord size. For instance, a simple extension cord for a lamp will have a 16-gauge cord where a heavy-duty cord for a AC unit requires a 12-gauge wire.

The length of the cord is also a factor. The longer the cord is, the more power is lost on the way, this is known as voltage drop. Short extension cords are good for electric tools and similar outdoor equipment.

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

It’s obvious to guess that you know how to operate your new dishwasher or washing machine without consulting the manual, but reading the guidelines is important for several reasons:

You should find out if your home’s electrical wiring is sufficient to support the appliance. You may have to install a new circuit to prevent overloading your existing ones.

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

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

Unplug Small Appliances When Not Being Used

You can limit unnecessary energy usage by unplugging small appliances when you are not using them. The reason is small appliances include LED indicators, timers and other energy-consuming features standby mode.

Unplug monitors, TVs, printers, modems, internet routers, video game consoles, cellphone chargers and more to cut back on wasteful energy use. But remember, it is alright to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to not miss their automatic background functions.

For more tips on how to use home appliances safely, or to hire a local appliance repair service, please contact First Rate Appliance Repair. Our technicians can fix all common home appliances!

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