Did you know that, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), Christmas trees start an average of 260 home fires every year? Electrical hazards, including electrical fires, shorts, and electrocutions, threaten average homeowners, especially during the holiday season and winter months. What are some important tips to keep homes safe?
Protect Electrical Wiring
Eliminating household electrical hazards depends on careful wire management. Homeowners need to carefully inspect electrical wiring to make sure it remains organized and intact. Here are some simple products and fixtures homeowners can use to prevent wire damage:
- Desk grommets. Circular or oblong rubber grommets fit into desktops or tabletops to redirect wires from sharp corners and edges. Some grommets quickly snap into place. Others can even be used inside machinery, such as computer casing, to shield cords from jagged metal pieces.
- Cable glands. Cable glands safely connect electrical wiring to various equipment. Brass, plastic, and metal cable glands have thousands of different practical applications.
- Conduit. Electrical cords and wiring outdoors or in attics, basements, and garages are especially vulnerable to damage. Conduit wraps around wires and cords to protect them from the rain, snow, ice, and small animals’ teeth. Metal conduit (also referred to as electric metal tubing) is available to safeguard sensitive circuits from harmful electromagnetism.
Keep Walkways and Doorways Clear
In the event of a fire, homeowners should make sure that pathways remain open and clear. Keeping doorways accessible can be especially challenging for families with handicapped or disabled members. Homeowners can make small and simple adjustments to door frames to make certain paths remain safe for all members of the family. For example, homeowners can use offset hinges. Offset hinges allow doors extra clearance, adding wider pathways for wheelchairs.
The average American household is hardly immune to electrical hazards and threats. Homeowners can drastically reduce risks by installing furniture grommets and conduit to protect electrical wiring and using offset hinges to make doorways handicap accessible.