Is Your Home Safe? Top 5 Electrical Dangers In The Home

Household electrical dangers can start house fires as well as electrocute people.
One in every six house fires is the result of faulty electrics and 70 people are killed and around 350,000 injured from electrical accidents a year.

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If you’re not an expert in electrics then a do-it-yourself may turn into a do-it-yourself-then-hire-electrician-to-redo-a-bodge-job, or worse
The Bathroom
Hopefully you know that electricity and water are very dangerous.
Be very cautious when using a radio, electric razor, hair-dryers or electric radiators in the bathroom; if you can try to avoid using them in the bathroom at all.
If water gets into the mains then an electric shock can occur, possibly causing burns, unconsciousness or even death.
Always keep water off the ground where electrics are close.
Plugs and Sockets
Most plugs and sockets are very safe nowadays as there is an earth wire that absorbs any electrical surges.
Sockets are plastic that doesn’t conduct electricity but you still have to be cautious, especially with young children.
Use plug-in covers to stop your child poking anything dangerous into the sockets and keep electrical appliances out of reach from young children.
Never pull a plug out of a socket by the cord as this could damage the wires inside breaking the electrical circuit.
Piggy-backing
Piggy backing is attaching lots of plug into one extension adapter.
Having too many electrical appliances working from one outlet can cause the plugs to get hot and cause an electrical trip.
Of course adaptors are necessary sometimes but try and keep one electrical appliance to one socket when you can.
Rugs
‘An electrical danger?’ I hear you ask. Running cables underneath carpet or rugs can cause the wire to fray as they are walked over.
Frayed wires are dangerous as the electrical circuit can then find a path to the ground and could cause a fire so make sure any cables are laid around the edges of the room, out of the way of foot traffic.
Regularly check sockets and wires for any fraying or burn marks and replace them if needed.
Wall-hangings
Hanging that pretty picture up on your wall isn’t as easy as you may think.
You have to be conscious of the wires running through the wall and make sure you don’t drill a hole into any hidden cables.
The best way to find those sneaky wires is to use a metal detector and lightly mark on the wall in pencil where the wires run.
You can rub the pencil lines out afterwards without damaging the walls. This will show you where you can and cannot drill.
If you’re not confident doing this yourself, then ask someone who knows what they are doing.
DIY Jobs
Electricity is dangerous so treat it with care. If you are undertaking any DIY job that involves the electrics then make sure you know what you’re doing.
An online tutorial isn’t going to help if you don’t know the Earth from the live. If in doubt hire an electrician for any electrical installations or repairs.
Understandably, if you want to change a light bulb it isn’t necessary to call out an electrician but realise that some DIY projects have to be left to the professionals for everyone’s safety.
As Alert Electrical says, ‘Save it for Sparky’. Leave the jobs to the pros.
Are there any electrical dangers we’ve missed? Share your advice in the comments below.

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Charlotte Brimstone is a keen writer, reader and painter. She knows a thing or two about safety in the home.