Electrical fires account for an estimated 51,000 structural fires each year in the US. Following best practices to prevent electrical fires in your home, multifamily or commercial property is critical to ensuring the safety of your property and its occupants.
As a disaster restoration company, we are constantly responding to the aftermath of fires that could have been prevented. Here are 4 tips that could help you prevent an electrical fire in your building:
Look For Signs of Electrical Problems
Are you having frequent issues with blown fuses or tripping circuit breakers? What about warm wall outlets or flickering and dimming lights? These could all be indicators of underlaying electrical issues. Make your that you call a qualified electrician to inspect these issues right away.
Be Careful of Electrical Cords
Many electrical fires are caused by faulty or damaged electrical cords. Inspect the different electrical cords in your property to make sure the wires are not damaged, frayed, cracked or loose. Discard appliances with compromised power cords, or bring them to be repaired by a professional.
Use GFCIs and AFCIs
Ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) reduce the risk of shock by turning off an electrical circuit when the circuit could be a shock hazard. Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) protect against fire by monitoring the electrical current in a circuit and shutting off the circuit when unintended arcing occurs. Both GFCIs and AFCIs should be installed in your property.
Check Your Light Bulbs
Use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage on the light fixture. There should be a sticker that indicates the maximum wattage for the light bulb. Also, make sure that light bulbs are contained inside a structure like a lamp shade or glass covering. Exposed light bulbs can get very hot and cause a fire if it makes contact with flammable material.
24 Restore is the preferred restoration services partner of commercial & residential property owners across New England. Whether you’re dealing with an emergency situation, or just simply need help implementing a sound Disaster Response Plan, we’re available to help. Contact 24 anytime, day or night for assistance.
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