As the nights draw in and the festive season approaches, it’s important not to overlook electrical safety within the home. Whether it’s an inviting electric blanket, a portable fan heater or an extra set of fairy lights, it’s tempting to make our homes look and feel as cosy and warm as possible. But it’s important not to overlook the issue of how to use these items safely.
There are more than 100 domestic fire incidents every day across the UK throughout December, and many can be traced back to appliances and Christmas lights. Our top tips to stay safe without jeopardising the Christmas spirit are as follows:
1 Sockets and extension leads
Avoid overloading sockets by keeping the plugs to a minimum and distributing lights and appliances around the room. Also, only use the requisite number of plugs for any extension leads you require, and under no circumstances should you run one extension lead from another.
2 Electric blankets
Electrical safety for electric blankets begins at point of purchase, as it’s crucial only to purchase a model that has a UK safety mark – that will ensure that it’s been fully tested and passed as compliant. As you use the blanket, keep an eye on it to ensure that it shows no sign of wear and tear, and make sure that it’s fully unfolded before switching it on. Other safety tips are to avoid using the electric blanket with a hot water bottle, touching it when your hands are wet and using it for a person with a pacemaker or for an infant, unless the settings can be pre-set by an adult. An electric blanket will tend to have a life of around ten years, but it should be replaced immediately if the fabric becomes worn, if wires are poking through the fabric, or if the controls start to buzz or give off a smell.
3 Portable heaters
They may be convenient, but portable heaters contribute to around 4% of domestic fires each year, so they need to be treated with caution. Simple safety tips include ensuring that the portable heater is on a level surface and preferably out of the way to prevent it being accidentally knocked over and coming into contact with flammable items such as curtains, wooden furniture and paper. Avoid leaving the heater on overnight and – however tempting it might be to do so – never cover the heater with items such as clothing. Always plug the heater into a socket and not into an extension lead, and give the appliance a regular visual inspection to check for any faults.
4 Christmas lights
Despite the rise in energy prices across the UK, it’s inevitable that we’ll all be decking our homes with Christmas fairy lights, starting with the most fundamental: the Christmas tree. If you’re choosing a real tree, keep it watered as a standard sized tree can absorb around one litre of water in 24 hours. In addition, avoid spraying the tree with any substance such as air spray in an attempt to prolong its life, and position it away from any heat source. Wherever you place your Christmas lights, don’t leave them on for hours on end, and always turn them off when you leave home.
As Mark Smith, owner of MS Electrical Services, observes, winter is when we make the most temporary changes to our homes, so keeping electrical safety in mind is of primary importance. ‘From the moment the clocks go back and the temperature drops, we see a spike in domestic electrical incidents, and they tend to be attributable to a few recurring issues,’ comments Mark. ‘In a bid to stay warm, we turn to electric blankets and portable heaters, both of which are notorious for causing electrical fires if they’re misused. And as we add Christmas lights and decorations to our homes, the use of extension leads increases, and they can easily overheat and catch fire if overloaded or left on for long periods. To ensure that we all enjoy a hazard-free Christmas and New Year, we’d recommend following our simple guidance at all times.’
MS Electrical Services offers PAT testing and fixed wire testing for commercial organisations in Cambridge, so please contact us to arrange a no-obligation quotation.