Common Electrical Hazards You Can Prevent By Hiring an Electrician

Electrical Hazards You Can Prevent By Hiring an Electrician

Everyone needs electricity and uses it in one form or another daily. However, as versatile and useful as this resource is, it is extremely dangerous and risky.

Many safety hazards come from our dependence on electricity that a good number of people are not aware of in Australia today. Thankfully, identifying these hazards and taking the right steps to prevent them has been proven to go a long way in ensuring safety.

Without the right information, identifying these hazards may be a bit confusing and challenging, which is where the help of a licensed electrician comes in.

Because licensed electricians are trained and qualified to carry out electrical jobs, they can also help you identify safety risks around you.

In this article, we will guide you through some of the common electrical hazards and how an electrician can help you reduce or eliminate them.

6 Common Electrical Hazards an Electrician Can Fix for You

Here are 6 of the common hazards that you may not be able to identify and fix yourself but an electrician will be able to identify and fix quickly:

1. Poor and Faulty Wiring

Poor and Faulty WiringDefective wiring in a building increases the chances of a fire outbreak, power surges, faulty arcs, and other kinds of unpleasant outcomes. This is why a DIY approach to electrical repairs and installation is often discouraged.

Note that faulty wiring could be from using low-quality cables or using the wrong connections. However, if you hire a licensed electrician for all your wiring issues in the first place, they will know and implement the best practices to ensure safety.

What’s more? An electrician can detect poor wiring from a previous repair and can correct it with the right materials and connections.

Here are a few possible wiring hazards you can detect with the help of a professional:

  • Faulty, low-quality, or loose connections like switches and outlets.
  • Worn cables from extensions and appliances.
  • Overheating wires.
  • Faulty appliances.
  • Wires that have been damaged by rodents.
  • Pierced or cracked wire installations.

2. Connections Installed Near Water Sources

Water is a good conductor of electricity and a combination of the two increases the likelihood of an electric shock.

This is why connections like switches and outlets shouldn’t be installed close to a water source. If that’s the case with the connections in your space, an electrician can remedy the situation for you.

As a rule, such connections in areas like kitchens and bathrooms where water is used frequently must be installed far from the water sources.

3. Putting Out Electrical Fires with Water

relation between Electrical Fires and WaterRecall that water carries electricity easily. The same principle applies in the case of a fire incidence caused by an electrical fault. You shouldn’t pour water on fire caused by an electrical fault or it will cause the fire to grow bigger and may even cause electrocution.

One safety measure you can implement is to have a carbon dioxide extinguisher in your home. You can also report the accident (https://www.nsw.gov.au/topics/electrical-safety/common-hazards#report-an-electrical-accident) or make a call to the fire service in such cases. While an electrician’s intervention is not necessary with this hazard, they can help you prevent it in the first place by identifying possible causes beforehand.

4. Outlets That Are Not Child-Proof

Little kids are toddlers are generally inquisitive and adventurous. They often want to explore everything within their reach including outlets that are at the same height as them. For instance, they may start to poke metal objects or even their fingers into unprotected outlets which can cause serious injuries.

There’s only so much you can do in supervising your little ones. You can’t be around them all the time. But you can take safety measures like getting an electrician to replace unprotected outlets with safe powerpoints. Click here to learn more about licensed electricians in Australia.

5. Improper Use of Extension Cords

Improper Use of Extension CordsAn extension cord should be fixed to a spot carefully. This is to prevent tripping accidents when someone walks close to it.

Avoid using an extension cord as a permanent power outlet because you need more power outlets. Also, ensure that you don’t have too many devices or appliances simultaneously on the extension.

6.Poor Ventilation Around Electrical Cables

Placing things on wires and cords could hamper ventilation, cause them to overheat, and may eventually lead to a fire incidence. So, ensure that you keep the wires and cords away and free from any other item. Don’t cover the cables.

This also means that irrespective of the cable management technique you use, ensure that there’s ample ventilation around appliances like refrigerators, televisions, and computers. Doing this will prevent the appliance and the cables from overheating.

General Electrical Safety Tips to Consider

licensed and qualified electrician

  • Resist the urge to fix appliances and electrical faults yourself. Instead, request the help of a licensed and qualified expert like an Impact electrician to make the repairs.
  • Don’t overload your extension with many devices or appliances at the same time.
  • Turn off power outlets before you plug appliances into them.
  • Don’t disassemble an appliance or device when it is connected to a power outlet or switch.
  • Only use extension cords that are designed for outdoor use outside your home.
  • Dry your hands completely before you touch any switch or electrical appliance.

Conclusion

You can enjoy the benefits that electricity affords and still be safe. One doesn’t have to give for the other. You can ensure your safety by identifying the potential risks of using electricity so that preventing electrical hazards won’t be a herculean task.

However, except you are a licensed electrician, it may be difficult to identify and fix electrical hazards in your home. Hiring a sparky for all your electrical issues goes a long way to preserving your safety as well as the safety of your loved ones.

In this article, we explained some common electrical hazards and how you can fix them with an electrician’s help. We also gave you tips to consider to ensure your safety. However, these are not exhaustive. There are some other hazards and tips that we haven’t mentioned but a licensed electrician will be able to point them to you. So, consider hiring one today.

Article Submitted By Community Writer

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