Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances inside a house often make your life less stressful, but when you operate them the wrong way, they might produce evident health risks. You should maintain your appliances and be sure they won’t turn into hazards by following these appliance safety recommendations from Tyson’s Appliance Repair.

The professional tips in this post help to prevent fires and injuries from kitchen appliances. Even still, hazards could still occur. In the event a home appliance has issues or starts to malfunction and becomes dangerous, reach out to a professional appliance repair CITY.

Install GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations

Kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, bathrooms, mud rooms, garages and outdoor areas are all susceptible to moisture or water. Of course, electricity and water don’t mix, so power cords and wires should be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

This can prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit when any imbalances in electricity arise.

If you don’t have GFCI outlets in damp rooms inside and 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 certain appliance manuals that indicate an appliance is not meant for outdoor areas.

Wires, Outlets & Electronics Away From Water

Many home appliances are specially manufactured for outdoor use, such as barbecue grills. If you use electrical appliances outside – including dishwashers, refrigerators, ice makers, electric tools and more – ensure that all outlets and plugs are dry. Using weatherproof electronics help, combined with GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.

Extension Cords are Only a Temporary Answer

Extension cords pose several risks, this includes:

The likelihood of a loose connection that might create sparks and start a fire.
The possibility of power interruptions that could damage the appliance.
Increased vulnerability to water penetration that may result in electrocution.
The probability of cords overheating and becoming a fire hazard when an insufficient extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.

When determining an extension cord for limited-time use, make sure it is the correct gauge for the electrical equipment in question. The lower the gauge, the greater the cord size. For instance, a basic extension cord for a lamp might have a 16-gauge wire while a longer cord for a window air conditioner needs a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also a factor. The longer the cord is, the more power is used up on the way, a phenomenon called voltage drop. Shorter cords are good for power tools and similar equipment.

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

It is simple to guess that you know how to operate a brand new dishwasher or washing machine without consulting the operating manual, but consulting the manufacturer instructions is necessary for many reasons:

You will want to find out if your home’s wiring is good enough to power the new appliance. You may need to install a circuit to stop overloading any existing ones.

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

You avoid the extreme stress that can sometimes come from trying to start a new home appliance without instructions!

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

You are able to stop unnecessary energy use by unplugging them when not in use. The reason is small appliances often include LED indicators, clocks and other features during standby mode.

Unplug TVs, computer monitors, routers, game systems, smart phone chargers and more to stop wasteful energy consumption. But remember, it is alright to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to prevent missing out on their background functions.

For even more tips on ways to use home appliances safely, or to call a professional appliance repair company, please contact Tyson’s Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can fix all popular household appliances!

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