The winter months and holiday season is when most people will have to get treated for some kind of electrical burn; mostly due to holiday lighting and overloaded outlets. An electrical burn is dangerous and very painful and can be avoided if you follow some pretty basic rules. If you are ready to start decorating you know you will be plugging in more things than normal and you need to know what not to do. The scary part is that the burn is just the start of a problem which can easily turn into an electrical fire.
Burley Electrical Services has a list of ways to avoid an electrical burn and what to do if you come across an emergency.
Electrical Inspection: This is the first line of defense for stopping any electrical malfunctions. When you use a plug that has a break or exposed wire you are susceptible to electrical burns. You also need to ensure that the casing around the line is not cracked or weathered. This can cause it to break apart easier and expose the wires inside. You need to also look at the area of the plug that will be plugged into the item and the wall for any parts that may seem broken or worn out. If you notice there is anything wrong with the plug or cord you need to replace it and throw out the broken one as soon as possible.
Electrical Lighting Labels: During this time of year, most people are going to put up lights on their houses and on their outdoor trees. You are also going to use lights inside the house on trees and around banisters and windows. This is a fun and festive way to celebrate but you need to be sure that you are using the right kinds of lights for the area that you are decorating. There are lights that are made to decorate outside and different lights for inside. Make sure that you read the labels and use the proper lights for the area whether it is inside or out.
Short Circuits & Overload Outlets: It may be the easiest way to get all the decoration done to just keep adding strings of lights and plugs in the same outlet but this is a bad idea. You want to be sure that you never overload an outlet because it can cause a short in the breaker and can even cause the item that is plugged in to get ruined.
Electrical Cord Safety: Make sure that as you are decorating you are keeping all the cords in a safe spot. This means that small children and pets cannot get to them. This will ensure that the cords do not receive damage after you have already checked them.
