Home electrical safety tips that you might not expect

Never overload sockets

You’ve no doubt heard this one before. It’s all about making sure you don’t plug extension leads into other extension leads, right?

Here’s what you might not expect; even a single extension lead can become overloaded and turn into a fire risk.

In fact, you can overload a four-socket extension lead with just two or three appliances plugged into it.

It all depends on the kind of devices they are. Some appliances only use a little power; others use a lot.

A single wall socket can generally handle up to 13 amps or 3000 watts. When plugging multiple appliances into an extension lead, be sure to check that the combined amp/wattage of each appliance does not exceed the max 13A/3000W rating.

But how can you check?
You’ll usually find the amp and/or wattage rating somewhere on the appliance’s plug unit, or on a label sticker at the back of the appliance; but if you can’t find it, Electrical Safety First’s interactive socket calculator can provide a general guide to different appliances and their power ratings.

You might be surprised at the kinds of appliances that can almost overload an extension lead all on their own…

It’s also worth mentioning that the max power rating for some extension leads may be less than 13A/3000W. Again, you should be able to find the max amp/wattage rating printed somewhere on the extension lead unit.

And of course, as we’ve already covered; never daisy-chain extension leads together!

Register your appliances

Many appliances (especially kitchen ‘white goods’) are supplied with a card encouraging you to register your new product with the manufacturer.

This is often handy for securing your access to manufacturers’ warranties. All appliances are guaranteed for 12 months, but brands will often provide their own warranties spanning several years; as long as you register your appliance with them.

But did you know registering your appliance is also important for your home’s electrical safety?
From time to time, appliance manufacturers uncover safety faults with the design or manufacturing process of their products. Sometimes these flaws are serious enough to warrant a recall of sold items.

If you’ve registered an affected product, the manufacturer can contact you directly to make you aware of the danger and guide you through the process of returning your appliance.

But if you haven’t registered a product that turns out to be dangerous, the manufacturer can’t reach you directly. You could end up with a ticking time bomb in your home; never knowing the danger until it’s too late.

Kick your phone out of bed

These days, we’re all a little guilty of spending time on our screens when settling down for bed.

But this relatively new phenomenon has brought a potential new danger into our homes.

If you’ve set your phone to charge for the night, be sure to leave it on the bedside table. Phones can get hot when they’re plugged in, and they get even hotter if they end up trapped underneath a pillow or your own body during the night.

That extra heat certainly isn’t good for your phone, and in extreme cases, it can lead to an electrical fire – which is particularly dangerous if you’re still asleep when it catches.

Never cover electrical chargers and devices on a charge under duvets, pillows or other soft furnishings. This includes not only smartphones but also tablets and laptops.

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