Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in a home often make your life less stressful, but when you operate household appliances unsafely, they could produce noticeable risks. You will want to protect your appliances and be sure they don’t turn into dangers by adhering to these home appliance safety recommendations from Jet City Appliance Repair.

The professional tips below can help prevent fires and injuries related to appliances. However, hazards might still occur. In the event an appliance has problems or starts to malfunction and becomes dangerous, reach out to a appliance repair Seattle.

Install GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations

Kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, basements, outdoor areas and garages can be susceptible to wetness or water. As you well know, electricity and moisture don’t go together, so power cords and wires should always be plugged into ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

This particular type of electrical outlet can prevent electrocution by tripping the circuit if any imbalances in power arise.

If you don’t currently have GFCI outlets in damp rooms around your house, it’s time to install them or call an electrician in Seattle. Once that is done, for safety, follow the warnings of appliance manuals that note that they are not meant for outdoor use.

Cords, Outlets & Electronics Far Away From Wet Areas

Quite a few home appliances are specifically designed for outdoor areas, such as gas and charcoal grills. If you have any electrical appliances outside – including dishwashers, refrigerators, ice makers and freezers, electric tools and others – be sure that all of the plugs and outlets are 100% dry. Weatherproof electronics help with this, along with GFCI outlets with gaskets that are water-tight.

Extension Cords are a Temporary Answer

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

The likelihood of a loose connection that can cause sparks and start a fire.
The chance of power interruptions that will break the appliance.
Increased susceptibility to water penetration that might cause electrocution.
The probability of wires overheating and turning into a fire hazard when an low-quality 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 appliance in question. The smaller the gauge, the larger the size for the wire. For instance, a basic household extension cord for a radio will have a 16-gauge wire whereas a larger cord for a window air conditioner needs a 12-gauge wire.

Length is also important. The longer the extension cord is, the more electricity is gone on the way, a phenomenon referred to as voltage drop. Shorter cords are advised for electric tools and similar equipment.

Always Read the Manual for Any Type of Appliance You Purchase

It is obvious to guess that you know how to operate a new washing machine or dishwasher without consulting the manual, but reading the instructions is important for a lot of reasons:

You will find out if your house’s wiring is sufficient to power the new appliance. You may have to install a better circuit to prevent overloading your current ones.

You learn about features you wouldn’t have otherwise known about.
You discover if the new appliance is OK for outdoor areas or not.

You avoid the extreme frustration that can sometimes come from trying to use a new appliance without instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances When Not in Use

You can reduce unnecessary energy use by unplugging appliances when not in use. The reason is small appliances include LED signals, clocks and other features during standby times.

Unplug televisions, computer monitors, routers, video game systems, smart phone chargers and more to cut back on unnecessary energy use. But remember, it is OK to keep DVRs and similar items plugged in to prevent missing out on their background features.

For more tips on how to use home appliances safely, or to schedule a professional appliance repair service, please contact Jet City Appliance Repair. Our technicians can fix all common household appliances!

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