Preparation is Key to Preventing Home Electrical Fires
In the United States, approximately 47,00 electrical home firesoccur annually, causing nearly 300 deaths, 900 injuries and more than $1.2 billion in property damage.
Prevent Fires by Following These Basic Safety Practices
Have your home inspected by a qualified electrician, especially if it’s older than 20 years.
Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. Test them monthly and replace the batteries every year. Replace alarms every 10 years or according to the manufacturer.
Install arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) to safeguard against arc faults.
Keep heat-producing appliances unplugged when not in use.
Do not overload outlets. Power strips do not provide more power, only more access to the same limited capacity circuit.
Use extension cords only temporarily and never run them through walls, doorways, ceilings, or floors.
Unplug an appliance that repeatedly blows a fuse or trips a circuit breaker and have it repaired or replaced.
Don’t ignore warning signs of trouble, such as flickering lights, odd odors, and unusual sounds.
Create a fire escape plan and practice it regularly.
Make sure any fire extinguishers you have are labeled for Class C or electrical fires. Multipurpose extinguishers can be used on different types of fires and will be labeled with more than one class, like A-B-C.
