Electrical Safety & Fire Prevention Tips
With more than half of accidental fires caused by electrical faults, at Diamond Services we take electrical safety very seriously. As experienced, accredited electricians in Norwich, we are using Electrical Fire Safety Week, #EFSW, to share some important advice and tips to help reduce the risk of electrical fire at your property.
Here are some simple do’s and don’ts.
Do…
- Call an electrician if you notice any hot plugs and sockets, fuses that blow frequently, flickering lights, or scorch marks on sockets or plugs. These are all signs of loose wiring or other problems that should be fixed as soon as possible
- Turn off electrical appliances when not in use
- Fully extend any coiled extension cables
- Make sure electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark when you buy them
- Keep electrical appliances in good working order
- Make sure you have a working fire alarm on every floor
- Use a fully qualified and accredited electrician to carry out any electrical work
Don’t…
- Overload your sockets
- Buy counterfeit or substandard electrical items or chargers
- Keep electrical items and sockets near where they could get wet
- Use water on an electrical fire
- Leave items continuously on charge after the item’s cycle is complete or when you are not home
- Cover charging devices
- Use frayed or damaged leads, or badly wired plugs
- Attempt to do it yourself!
Just making a few small changes to your home could cut your risk of a fire down significantly.
A valuable test of your electrical system that can indicate its safety is an EICR – Electrical Installation Condition Report. It provides you with an assessment of your electrical system and is advised to be undertaken at least every ten years or at change of ownership for residential properties, with the exception of landlords where it is mandatory to have an EICR every five years. Book yours today.