Appliance Safety Tips

The appliances in your house often make life less stressful, but when you operate appliances unsafely, they could produce noticeable risks. You will want to care for your appliances and make sure they don’t turn into hazards by following these home appliance safety tips from Hawk Appliance Repair.

The professional tips below can help to prevent fires and injuries due to broken kitchen appliances. Even still, hazards can still happen. If an appliance has issues or malfunctions and becomes a danger, reach out to a local appliance repair.

Install GFCI Outlets in Wet Locations

Kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, basements, garages and outdoor areas are susceptible to wetness or dripping water. As you are well aware, electricity and moisture don’t go together, therefore power cords should be plugged into GFCI outlets.

This prevents electrocution by tripping the circuit when any inconsistencies in electricity occur.

If you don’t have GFCI outlets installed in wet rooms inside and around your home, it is time to install them or call an electrician. Then, for further safety, follow the warnings of manufacturer appliance manuals that note that an appliance is not for outdoor use.

Electrical Cords, Electronics & Outlets Away From Water

A lot of home appliances are manufactured for the outdoors, like gas and charcoal grills. If you make us of electrical appliances outside – including dishwashers, refrigerators, ice makers and freezers, electric tools and more – monitor that all outlets and plugs are not wet. Weatherproof electronics will help with this, along with GFCI outlets with water-tight gaskets.

Extension Cords are a Temporary Solution

An extension cord poses many evident risks, this includes:

The potential for a loose connection that might lead to sparks and a fire.
The chance of power inconsistencies that might break the appliance.
Greater susceptibility to water penetration that might result in electrocution.
The potential for cords overheating and turning into a fire hazard when an low-quality extension cord is combined with a high-power appliance.

When determining an extension cord for limited-time use, be sure that it is the appropriate gauge for the home appliance in question. The smaller the gauge, the bigger the cord size. For instance, a basic extension cord for a garden tool might have a 16-gauge wire where a longer cord for a AC unit requires a 12-gauge wire.

The length of the cord is also important. The longer the extension cord, the more power is lost on the way, something called voltage drop. Shorter cords are good for power tools and similar outdoor equipment.

Read the Operating Manual for Any Appliance You Buy

It is simple to assume that you know how to operate a new dishwasher or washing machine without consulting the manual, but consulting the manufacturer guidelines is necessary for several reasons:

You should find out if your home’s wiring is good enough to support the new appliance. You might have to install a better circuit to prevent overloading your current ones.

You learn more about complicated features you might not otherwise known about.
You discover if the new appliance is safe for outdoor locations or not.

You avoid the extreme stress that can sometimes come from trying to run a appliance without instructions!

Unplug Small Appliances When Not Being Used

You can limit unnecessary energy consumption by unplugging small appliances when you aren’t operating them. This is because small appliances include LED lights, clocks and other features during standby times.

Unplug televisions, monitors, internet routers, game systems, cellphone chargers and more to limit wasteful energy consumption. But remember, it’s OK to keep DVRs and similar devices plugged in to prevent missing out on their background functions.

For even more tips on using appliances safely, or to call a local appliance repair service, please contact Hawk Appliance Repair. Our repairmen can repair all name brand household appliances!

OTHER RESOURCES:

Appliance Repair Cost
DIY Appliance Repair Tips
Repair or Replace Appliances
Refrigerator Parts