We have all experienced an electric shock at one time or another. Unfortunately, some of us also have experienced a fire in our home. We are committed to the safety of electrical systems at Electrical. Here are a few tips to help you and your family stay safe.

1. Do not overload your outlets.

You may have two or three electrical outlets per room in an older house. But you will likely have more than just two pieces of electrical equipment that need to be charged. Do not plug in multiple items into the same multi-box or use several extension cords. This practice is dangerous and can lead to power outages, or even fires.

You can contact a PERL Electrical electrician and have more outlets installed if you have more electrical equipment. If you’re going to be using multi-boxes, choose the ones with surge protection.

2. Electrical outlets should be child-proofed.

It is important to educate your children about electrical safety. Here are three quick tips for parents of very young children:

• Safety caps can be purchased for electrical outlets that are not in use to prevent curious children from sticking objects into the plug holes.
• Keep your electrical cords neat and tidy.
• Always keep appliances such as hair dryers, toasters and other electrical appliances out of reach from curious children in areas with water.

3. Listen for the buzz.

When you plug in something and hear it buzz, there is usually a problem with the electrical outlet. Removing the plug, and turning off the outlet at the wall will solve the problem. Contact an electrician. Ignoring the buzz can lead to power failures or even a fire.

4. Cords can be dangerous.

It is more of an economical measure than a safety one. Never pull an electrical cord out of the wall. The cord, plug or outlet can be damaged by yanking it.