Each year, house fires lay claim to thousands of homes in Canada. These fires almost always originate from improper electrical issues that can be traced back to poor practice or faulty equipment. Sadly, after this is realized, it’s usually too late and the damage has already been done. As a homeowner, it’s your job to realize where the potential for these issues lies within your home and make the changes to your current setup to ensure that an electrical fire is avoided at all costs. This generally starts by trusting a certified electrician in Saskatoon, who can help you properly inspect and modify your home in proactive ways.
The first thing that any electrician will look at is your use of extension cords and outlet expanders. These days, people are plugging in items more than ever, causing outlets to fill up quickly. People use extension cords and power strips to increase the amount of outlet space that they have to use, however this almost always means extrapolating the possibility for a fire hazard. Any extension cord that has damage to it, isn’t properly grounded or is improperly secured to an outlet is like a ticking time bomb—one that could spark a fire at any time if not fixed. An electrician in Saskatoon will be able to recommend trusted brands and best practice uses for these crucial devices, allowing you to gain peace of mind when you use them right.
Another element of your home’s electrical wiring that should be inspected every so often is the fuse system. Fuse boxes control the power to different areas of your home and when they’re not working properly, there’s an increased risk of damage to your home. You’ve heard of blowing a fuse before, right? Well, if this happens, it generally means that the fuse was either very old or something caused a surge of power back into it. This isn’t something that should be happening in your home, let alone on a regular basis, so if it does happen to you, be sure to ask an electrician in Saskatoon what caused it and how you can prevent it.
Even inspecting the little things in your home can help prevent tragedy. Light bulbs, for example, are something that we don’t give much thought to unless they’re burnt out. However, it’s a good idea to always check the approved wattage on a socket before you screw a new bulb in. If you’re trying to screw a 120w bulb into a 40w socket, you’re going to get more than a blinding light when you turn it on: you’re going to have a fire hazard that originates from the immensely hot bulb now blazing brightly.
Electricity makes our homes go round, but it can come at a high price if we’re not careful in using it. Always take care to use electrical devices properly and take care of any potential issues that you notice regarding outlets, power cords or light bulbs. If your home is older, consider having a full electrical inspection done, just for good measure. In any case, make sure an electrician in Saskatoon approves everything you’re doing electrically in your home.
