| Your home is your castle and keeping it safe also | | | | Proper sized fuses or circuit breakers |
| keeps you and your family safe. Many people | | | | Most homes are wired with #12 awg wire that is |
| take electricity for granted and many don't stop | | | | rated for 20 amps and some have #14 awg wire |
| to think just how dangerous it can be or how to | | | | which is rated for 15 amps on the lighting and |
| avoid such dangerous situations in the home. | | | | branch circuits. Older homes have fuses instead of |
| There are some things you can do to help keep | | | | breakers. Fuses can be easily changed when one |
| your home safe from these dangers. Following a | | | | blows but many times are not replaced with the |
| few simple guidelines can greatly reduce your | | | | proper sized fuse for the size of wire that it |
| chances of experiencing any such hazards. | | | | feeds. This is a dangerous situation when they |
| Avoid the use of extension cords | | | | blow a 20 amp fuse then replace it with a 30 |
| There never seems to be enough power outlets | | | | amp to keep it from blowing again. This puts a |
| in the home to accommodate all of the appliances | | | | strain on the house wiring because the larger fuse |
| and gadgets that needs power to operate. This is | | | | allows the wire to carry more amps than it is |
| where many people grab the extension cords as | | | | legally rated to carry. If you have fuses in your |
| a solution to this problem. A better way to attack | | | | home it is a good idea to this checked by a |
| this problem would be to purchase a good plug | | | | certified electrician to insure that the proper sized |
| strip with a 2 to 3 foot cord that you can plug in | | | | fuses or even circuit breakers are installed |
| to the wall outlet and gain several more power | | | | according to the size of the wire that it feeds.This |
| openings a little further down the wall. You get | | | | would also be a good time to have the |
| what you pay for with these items so please do | | | | connections in the electrical panel checked and |
| not buy the cheapest one because that is exactly | | | | tightened to avoid any future problems. |
| what you will get. Adding a wall outlet is the best | | | | Check those drop cords for safety that you have |
| way to approach this problem but that is not | | | | hanging in the shop |
| always the cheapest or the easiest fix. | | | | Are your drop cords safe to use? Many times |
| Install the proper wattage bulbs in your light | | | | the ground prong on the extension cords will be |
| fixtures | | | | missing or broken off and this can be an accident |
| Most ceiling mounted light fixtures are rated for | | | | that is waiting to happen. That third round prong |
| no more than 60 watt bulbs due to the heat that | | | | on your cord is the single most important part of |
| they produce. Fixtures that hang down and do not | | | | your drop cord to keep you safe while using |
| touch the ceiling are usually rated to carry higher | | | | power tools and any type of equipment or |
| wattage bulbs due to the bulbs being away from | | | | appliances. You can purchase a replacement cord |
| the ceiling. Many times people will blow a 60 watt | | | | cap for the end of your cords and you really |
| bulb and then replace it with a 100 watt bulb. This | | | | should do this if the ground prong is missing. |
| is not a safe practice because the fixture can not | | | | Without the equipment ground intact the metal |
| dissipate the extra heat that the higher wattage | | | | casing on a faulty power tool can become |
| bulbs produce and it can heat bake the sheetrock | | | | energized risking electrocution to the user. Check |
| above the fixture and the house wires inside the | | | | those cords for any other type of damage and |
| electrical box. There should be a tag on the | | | | replace them if needed. |
| fixture stating the maximum wattage rating for | | | | A few bonus tips of the day for you |
| that fixture. | | | | Be sure and clean the lint screen on your clothes |
| GFCI protected outlets | | | | dryer after each use. Lint can build up inside the |
| Ground fault circuit interrupters are receptacles | | | | dryer and cause problems or even a fire if not |
| that are designed for use around water or | | | | properly cleaned and maintained. |
| outdoors power requirements. Kitchens, | | | | Do you have fire extinguishers strategically |
| bathrooms and any outside outlets should have | | | | mounted in your home? The kitchen and garage |
| GFCI protected outlets installed. These | | | | or shop area would be a perfect place to have |
| receptacles measure the amount of incoming and | | | | one or more mounted for quick access.. Just |
| outgoing current and will trip out if there is a | | | | remember that an accidental fire can happen |
| difference in the amount. This amount should be | | | | quickly and a readily accessible fire extinguisher |
| the same on what comes in on the hot side and | | | | can help avoid a disaster. |
| leaves on the neutral. If not there is a ground | | | | Electrically powered 120 volt smoke detectors |
| fault and the receptacle will trip and shut down | | | | with battery back up are an essential part of a |
| the power for safety purposes. If you do not | | | | reliable early warning system for the safety of |
| have GFCI protected outlets installed in your | | | | the entire family. If you do not have these |
| home then you really should have this work done | | | | installed in your home this is a small price to pay |
| for the safety of everyone in the home. | | | | for the added security that they can provide. |