Most of us know very well how to use electrical appliances, but do not always follow all the necessary recommendations. That’s why it’s a good idea to brush up on some basic safety precautions that are easy to follow, while ensuring the safety of your property and, most importantly, the lives and health of you and your loved ones.
It is important to remember that each appliance has a useful life of about 10 years on average. Using it beyond the specified period can lead to unfortunate consequences. Systematically check the electrical wiring, outlets, shields, and plugs on the heater. Keep an eye on the condition of the heater: repair and replace parts in good time if they fail. Replace fuses, loose or deformed plugs. Use only industrially manufactured appliances; under no circumstances use damaged, homemade or “home-made” electric heaters. Avoid overloading the power grid, in case several powerful consumers are switched on at once. Ensure that the plug is tightly inserted into the socket, otherwise the heater could overheat and cause a fire. Do not leave electric heaters on overnight or use them to dry things. Place the heater on the floor or, in the case of convectors, on special stands at a short distance from the floor. Clean dust from the heater regularly.
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Give Your Space Heater a Break
Many manufacturers write in the instruction manual that the heater can run for 3-5 days without shutting down. The maximum allowable variant is a week without a single shutdown. Read the instructions to the specific heater, the continuous operation time is the most important indicator and the manufacturer voiced it in a mandatory manner. It is even better to turn off the device when leaving the house.
Stop overloading your circuits
Electrical circuits are designed to work with a limited amount of electricity. Circuits consist of wiring, a switch, and devices (such as lights, appliances, and anything plugged into an outlet). The power consumption of each device (during operation) increases the total load on the circuit. Exceeding the rated load for the circuit wiring causes the circuit breaker to trip, cutting off power to the entire circuit.
Check Your Fuse
We can visually see that the thin wire of the fuse is intact. But in some cases this still doesn’t tell us anything, because the wire can burn right at the edge of the fuse. A multimeter is used to accurately determine if the fuse is working.
Check your wiring
You must calculate the total power of the electrical appliances that you will use, on the basis of which calculate the cross section of the cable for power and compare this value with the cross section of the already laid in the walls of the conductor. If the cross-section is insufficient, be sure to replace the electrics. The insulation must not be damaged, and all wire connections must necessarily be made with terminals or other connectors. It is also important to determine the cross-section of the cable and check the ratings of the outlets.
Avoid extension strips
An extension cord is subject to constant physical stress and twisting. Homemade extension cords and carriers are especially dangerous in this regard. If you have an extension cord with more than two outlets, then there is a lot of temptation to load them as much as possible, as a result we have a severely overloaded electrical wiring with seriously spoiled by high temperatures and dangerous in terms of ignition of the insulation.
Unplug Unused electrical devices and appliances
A device that is plugged in consumes energy even when it is not in use and is idle. It is therefore more economical to unplug appliances, especially if you want to save the family budget. Another reason to unplug is for safety. Small fluctuations in electricity are harmless, but if the voltage rises sharply, appliances can be damaged.
Check your Amperage Limit
Each circuit breaker has a certain current rating or amount of current. If this amperage is exceeded, the circuit breaker shuts off the current in that circuit to prevent damage to wiring and devices. Calculate the actual amperage of the devices in the circuit and compare it to the rated amperage to avoid unnecessary power interruptions and fire hazards.
Don’t leave your space heater unattended
Do not leave the heater unattended. While you are away, the heater could tip over or overheat. Don’t forget the risk of a short circuit. Therefore, always turn the heater off when you leave the house, even for a short time.
Use safety alarms
The choice of the type of fire detectors depends on the characteristics of the object in which they will be used: the level of fire danger, the type of raw materials and materials used in the production process, the presence of automatic fire extinguishing systems.
