To keep electrical systems safe, check plugs and sockets for burn marks regularly. Pay attention to sounds of ‘arcing’ (buzzing or crackling), fuses blowing, circuit-breakers tripping or if plugs and sockets feel too hot to touch. Learn more about Arc Faults, AFCI devices on your electrical panel, and the signs of overloaded sockets below.
Plug microwave ovens or other cooking appliances directly into a wall outlet. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance. Check electrical cords for cracks, breaks or damage.
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SOURCE: U.S. Fire Administration
Check plugs and sockets for burn marks regularly. Pay attention to sounds of ‘arcing’ (buzzing or crackling), fuses blowing, circuit-breakers tripping or if plugs and sockets feel too hot to touch.
Watch and listen for arc faults.
Arcing is responsible for a high percentage of fires related to the electrical wiring in homes. The term ‘arc fault’ refers to a dangerous condition created by loose or corroded wiring connections. This intermittent contact causes electrical current to spark, or arc, between metal contact points. Electrical connections in your home should have constant contact.
If you hear buzzing or hissing from a light switch or outlet, you may be hearing arcing. Arcing can also be caused by loose electrical connections or degraded electrical cable insulation. Arcing creates heat, which can break down the insulation surrounding individual conducting wires, triggering electrical fires. Learn how an Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter protects your family from arc faults in your home.
Install AFCI devices (arc-fault circuit interrupters).
An AFCI device recognizes arcing characteristics and deenergizes the circuit when an arc fault is detected. This product is a necessity in every home.
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Electrical causes in fixed residential distribution systems, where equipment and wiring aren’t typically accessible to home owners, are responsible for over 40,000 fires annually. Electrical appliances, extension cords, as well as heating and cooking equipment, ignited an estimated 100,000 fires. The reason is typically current flow or electric arcs in damaged or misapplied equipment causing overheating. Of the 451,000 residential structure fires in America, The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates electrical equipment causes 155,100 or 34% of them. Many of the distribution system and connected cords fires originate from arcing conditions.
More than 40,000 fires annually are attributed to electrical causes in fixed residential distribution systems, where wiring is not generally accessible to home owners. Electrical appliances, extension cords, and heating/cooking equipment cause more than 100,000 fires. Related fires are typically started by overheating from current flow or electric arcs in damaged or misused equipment. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 155,100 or 34% of the 451,000 fires in residential structures are caused by electrical equipment. A high percentage of these fires originate from arcing conditions. Learn more about using Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupters to lower your fire risk.
Never overload sockets.
Most homes use extension cords or that allow them to plug more than one device into a wall socket. Though this is convenient, it is potentially dangerous.
All major appliances should be plugged directly into a wall socket. Don’t use extension cords or multi-outlet converters to get multiple appliances into an outlet. This is especially true for heat producing appliances, like space heaters, microwaves and hot plates.
Never link extension cords together to create more outlet space.
Remember that while power strips add outlets, they do not change the amount of power available in an outlet. Check the current rating of electrical outlets before you attempt to plug multiple devices into them.
Where you have multiple items plugged into a socket, look for the following signs of overload.
- Discolored and/or hot outlet covers
- Frequently blown fuses
- Burning smell near the outlet
- Lights that flicker or dim frequently
- Appliances that give off a shock or mild tingling sensation when touched
Though it may be inconvenient, it is safer to hire an electrician to add to sockets in your home than take the chance of overloading existing sockets.
