Basic knowledge about electrical safety bridges impending catastrophe to the home and your family's security. Accidents from grounded electrical cords and faulty temporary wiring contribute to over 25% of approximately 81,000 incidents of electrical system fires annually. Aim for your home to be one less on that list by reading on.

And fortunately, there is much for us to do and most of them are so simple that you can do it yourself. So be informed and follow our tips and be your family and the community's superhero in a few simple steps!

• Care For New Home

  1. Label the panel board

     The panel board is one jungle of wires, fuses, and buttons to push. Fumbling through them in an emergency is unimaginable. To minimize the time and effort in figuring out which switch is connected to what system, make it a practice to label them using paper tape or label maker. Easy yet saves a lot of time and can even potentially save your family.

  2. Ensure that new appliances are certified safe by experts

     Most of the time, appliance boxes have a sticker or seal that says that they are laboratory tested safe for use. Light fixtures heat up quickly and kitchen appliances that are always used and in close contact with other materials such as rubber, plastic or metal should be paid close concern. If there are no warnings on the packaging it is a good practice to look for handling tips on the internet especially if it is your first time to use such appliance.

     Lights, Christmas lights or any decorative light fixture in particular, has specific limited life span and should directly be asked at purchase.

• Childproofing the Home

  1. Keep outlets and power cords out of reach

     Children are always curious and adventurous. Outlets and their openings could potentially interest a kid and prompt him to try to fit things into its holes, perhaps even try to poke a finger just to see what would happen. And as an adult, we know what would happen. To prevent electrocution, possible solution is to keep them sockets at a safe space from the floor. If possible, cap them using a handy kit from the nearest hardware or DIY store.

  2. Keep watch of frayed power cords

     Most of the time if we see a frayed power cord, the first aid is to wrap them up with electric or paper tape. However, when in the vicinity of a kid, this is not sufficient. We suggest taping them into the wall so that it will be less movable. Also, there are available cable protectors that you can buy off the racks. This will provide additional protection to avoid frayed wires, and also prevent direct contact with your child.

  3. Watch out for children poking things into appliances

     60 people die every year by electrocutions and shock from basic electrical supplies and 70% of child related electrical accidents happen under parent supervision. So if you have children running around the house, please make sure that they are properly guided and guarded.

• Maintenance

  1. Plug and cord safety

     Always unplug unused appliances. Ghost electricity flows through outlet to appliance when it is plugged in even it is not in use. Unplugging can both be save power consumption and help avoid overwork of the cables and other electrical fixtures. Avoid overloading plugs, sockets and extension cords. Octopus wiring is also a big no-no.

  2. Never cover warm appliances with cloth or other flammable materials

     Sometimes when an appliance is heating up but we still need to use them, we try to cool them down by placing a cool cloth or a glass of iced water near the tempered area. This practice brings more harm than benefit if not watched intently. If left for a very long time while exposed to high temperature, once cold, wet cloth can turn into dry conductors of heat that can catch flames and cause fire in any minute. A bowl or glass of cool water can topple over and spread water over a delicate area. This can cause short circuits and sparks that may lead to a charred home. Sometimes it is better to let our appliances rest for an hour or so for optimal performance.

  3. Always clean electrical ranges to avoid hazardous build-up of flammable substances and chemicals

     When the range seems clean and dirt free and shiny in the surface, don't be fooled! Some food residue may still be lurking in the underside of the plates or on some of the holes in the burner. These residues may absorb the heat from a recently turned off stove and act as fuel for a fire. To avoid this, clean ranges thoroughly using vinegar and baking powder. Wipe every part from top to bottom to ensure cleanliness and peace of mind.

• When prevention does not work

  1. Never attempt to put electrical fire by use of water

     Water is a good conductor of electricity. Use chemical fire extinguisher or baking soda instead. Remember the acronym PASS in using the trusty extinguisher: Remove PIN, AIM to flame, SQUEEZE trigger, and SWEEP flames using the foam from extinguisher from left to right until fire is extinguished.

     If a standard fire extinguisher is not available or the fire is too strong to put out, immediately call the nearest fire department or the emergency number 911 and ask to be connected to fire prevention.

  2. Never attempt electrical repairs if you don't have experience.

     If baking instructions and arts and craft DIY from internet can go wrong when tried the first time, think what will happen with this more complex task at hand. If you are not confident about the fix that you should implement, call an electrician quickly before things get out of hand.