The appliances in your house often make your life less stressful, but if you operate them the wrong way, they might produce noticeable risks. You should care for appliances and be sure they won’t turn into dangers by following these household appliance safety recommendations from Champion Chandler Appliance Repair.
The professional tips below help prevent fires and injuries due to broken home appliances. However, hazards might still occur. If a home appliance breaks or begins to malfunction and becomes a danger, reach out to a professional service for appliance repair in Chandler Arizona.
GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations in a Home
Kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, bathrooms, outdoor areas and garages are all susceptible to possible moisture or water. Of course, electricity and moisture don’t mix, that means power cords and wires should be plugged into GFCI outlets.
This will prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit if any imbalances in electricity arise.
If you don’t have GFCI outlets installed in wet locations inside and around your house, it’s time to install them or call an electrician in Chandler. Then, for additional safety measures, follow the warnings of appliance manuals that note that an appliance is not designed for outdoor areas.
Cords, Outlets & Electronics Far Away From Water
Several home appliances are designed for outdoor use, such as gas and charcoal grills. If you have electrical appliances outdoors – including refrigerators, dishwashers, freezers and ice makers, electric tools and others – monitor that all cords and outlets are 100% dry. Using weatherproof electronics will help with this, in addition to GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.
Extension Cords are a Temporary Solution
Extension cords can pose a lot of potential risks, this includes:
The chance for loose connections that sometimes can lead to sparks and start a fire.
The chance of power inconsistencies that would damage the appliance.
Greater susceptibility to water penetration that may result in electrocution.
The potential for cords overheating and turning into a fire hazard when an insufficient extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.
When choosing an extension cord for temporary use, be sure that it’s the correct gauge for the electrical tool in question. The lower the gauge, the greater the cord size. For example, a simple electrical extension cord for a radio may have a 16-gauge wire where a big cord for a AC unit uses a 12-gauge wire.
The length of the cord is also important. The longer the cord, the more power is used up enroute, this is known as voltage drop. Short extension cords are recommended for electric tools and outdoor equipment.
Always Read the Manual for Any Appliance You Buy
It’s easy to assume that you know how to use your brand new washing machine or dishwasher without reading the manual, but reading the manufacturer instructions is necessary for a lot of reasons:
You will want to find out whether your house’s electrical wiring is sufficient to support the new appliance. You might have to install a better circuit to prevent overloading your current ones.
You learn about features you would not have otherwise have known.
You learn whether the appliance is safe for outdoor areas or not.
You don’t have the extreme frustration that can come from trying to run a new home appliance with no instructions!
Unplug Small Appliances if You Aren’t Using Them
You can prevent unnecessary energy use by unplugging them when not in use. The reason is small appliances sometimes include LED lights, clocks and other features during standby mode.
Unplug TVs, monitors, routers, game systems, smart phone chargers and more to limit wasteful energy use. But remember, it is worthwhile 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 schedule a professional appliance repair service, please contact Champion Chandler Appliance Repair. We can fix all name brand household appliances!
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