Tips To Maintain Electrical Safety In Your Home And Your Neighbourhood Community

Keeping residential electrical installations in perfect condition can become a valuable prevention tool. One should always know how to resolve electrical installation damage that may occur from natural disasters such as thunderstorms, floods or earthquakes. If you want to save yourself from the worse, the best thing to do is to be careful in the day to day, and know how to avoid electrical hazards, such as short circuits, fire and even material and personal damage.

To prevent these incidents, it is essential to plan the maintenance of the electrical installations. Likewise, one must think and review carefully the correct health and safety procedures to follow. Here are some of the most important tips when working with electricity:

Privilege security

Before starting any work, you must go to the place where the electricity distribution box is located, normally called "load center". In these boxes are the thermomagnetic or differential switches that protect the circuits of the house. Once this box is located, you must proceed to '' turn off '' those switches, so that electrical power cannot circulate through the wires of the house. Some houses do not have a load center, in those cases, we must disconnect the main switch, which is usually on a low wall in front of the house.

Avoid excessive use of extensions

It is not advisable to abuse this resource since it is the most common cause of short circuit due to heating. The same applies to the use of multi contacts since they can generate an overload. It is advisable to use a contact for each application. In this regard, it must be borne in mind that temporary electrical installations can cause electric shock and fire.

Respects the separation of lighting circuits and special outputs

As the overloads are so dangerous, the lighting circuits and the special output circuits in the houses are separated. Do not try to connect, for example, an air conditioner to the common circuit of the house. It must have its own circuit due to the higher load it needs.

Always work without electrical energy

Even when we have to change a lamp we must be careful, disconnecting the plug from the contact, replace the lamp and then try again.

Keep the artefacts in perfect condition

Never use appliances with bare wires, broken ends, damaged plugs or damaged lamp holders.

Beware of the presence of water and electricity

This combination means that both the kitchen and the bathroom are dangerous areas for using electrical appliances. In the bathroom, the use of the hairdryer is dangerous. Also, being barefoot in critical areas, such as the kitchen, near the refrigerator or electric ovens or microwaves, carries an unnecessary risk. This is equally applicable when manipulating extensions in the house. You have to put on shoes and dry your hands well before starting the task. And, of course, do not touch electrical equipment in the shower or during an immersion bath. To avoid the risk of electrocutions in damp areas of homes, the regulations of several countries have made the use of ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) mandatory.

Disconnect the appliances correctly

Finally, never disconnect an electrical equipment (vacuum cleaners, lamps, among others) pulling the cable, since there is a risk of detaching the ends of the cord and producing shorts.

Through these tips. The work in small electrical repairs will make your installation more efficient and the security of the home regarding the use of electricity will keep the family safe from accidents.