7 Electrical Safety Tips for Fall

Oct 15, 2020

 

 

We’ve officially entered the season of PSL’s, candy from strangers and hearing the furnace kick in. Yes, Fall is here (though dare we say, that 2 degrees this morning felt more like Winter!).

 

With the change of season, comes an opportunity to check-in on your home electrical for a few things, both indoor and outdoor, in order to keep your home safe. Here’s our top tips to ensure your electrical is in tip-top shape as we head into the Fall and Winter seasons.

 

Indoor Tips:

 

  • If you plan on using heated blankets, heating pads or space heaters to keep extra warm during the colder seasons, carefully inspect them for loose or frayed wiring. Find some? It’s time to replace that item. (The same goes for Christmas lights!)
  • Speaking of space heaters – please remember that extension cords and power bars are not meant to be a permanent solution. If you’re planning on having a space heater plugged in for the whole season, plug it directly into a wall socket. Run out of room? We can install more exactly where you need them – just give us a call.
  • Install whole-home surge protection. With winter weather and the increased demands on your electrical over the winter (especially during Christmas with all your pretty lights), power-surges can be common. The last thing you need in 2020 (because we’ve all had enough to deal with haven’t we?) is to lose valuable electronics due to a power-surge. Make sure your electrical circuit can handle the increased load and have extra protection measures in place.

 

Outdoor Tips:

 

  • Time to bring your tools inside and prep them for Winter storage by ensure to drain any remaining fuel from your outdoor equipment such as lawn mowers and trimmers.
  • Weatherproof any tools or equipment you plan to use outdoors this Fall and Winter such as leaf- or snow-blowers.
  • Ensure that areas around any outdoor electrical outlets are clear of any potential fire hazards such as dry leaves and grass, and ensure to stay vigilant in keeping these areas clean through the Fall.
  • Prepare for getting those Halloween and Christmas decorations up by ensuring you have adequate electrical for all that you want to power. Need some more? Or ready to up your lighting game for the seasons with these ones? Give us a call.

 

Keeping your home and family safe is important to us. If this checklist brings up some points for attention with you in your home, give us a call – we are here to help.