Electrical fires are a disaster that every homeowner wants to avoid at all costs. Such a fire can be devastating to their home and belongings, as well as potentially very dangerous for their loved ones. The best way to reduce the risk of an electrical fire is for homeowners to know what most commonly causes them, which will educate them on what they can do to avoid such a situation from ever happening.
Any Pinecrest electrician or electrician in Cutler Bay will be able to educate their clients on electrical fire risks.
Most electrical fires that start in homes come as a direct result of defects in older appliances. Within old appliances, a number of things can potentially be faulty including on and off switches, inner wiring and fraying cords. When these things are not working properly, the appliance will heat up and ignite anything combustible around it.
The improper use of extension cords is another thing that causes a lot of electrical fires in homes. Extension cords are meant to be a temporary solution to an outlet issue, though most people use them permanently. This happens because extension cords considered to be are less expensive than hiring an electrician to install new outlets.
Errors in light bulb and light fixture installations can also create a high risk for electrical fire. This is why an electrical engineer in Cutler Bay or a Pinecrest electrician should be consulted whenever a light fixture is installed. If a light bulb is installed into a fixture that requires a bulb with a lower wattage, then it is at risk of overheating and sparking combustible items nearby. This is why it is so important for homeowners to pay close attention to the exact types of bulbs that their light fixtures require. Using the wrong ones may seem like an innocent mistake, but it can be quite dangerous. Items such as lampshades, which are often placed around lights, can also be a huge fire risk. Any lampshade that is used on a light fixture should be a safe distance from the actual light source and away from any electrical components.
During the colder months of the year, many homeowners choose to use space heaters inside their properties. This is a great option for heating any space up quickly, but it does come with risks. For example, the coils inside space heaters get extremely hot during use and will ignite items that are left around them if left unattended. The portability of these items also makes them a fire hazard, as they can unknowingly be placed around combustible items during use.
The wiring system that is installed in a home when it is built will typically last for a very long time. With this being said, such a system absolutely needs to be monitored closely and repaired at the first sign of issues. These repairs should be done by licensed professional Pinecrest electrician or a qualified electrician in Cutler Bay. Due to the fact that more electric devices are being used today than ever before, every homeowner should make sure that their electric system is up to code and can handle the amount of usage they are throwing at it. Outdated and overused wiring is a major cause of electrical fires. Breaker boxes should also be maintained and kept up to standard. If they do not work in the event of an overload, fires could start as a result.
These are just a few of the main things that often cause electrical fires. As long as homeowners take the necessary basic precautions, their homes will have a much lower risk of experiencing any fires.