How to Keep Your Home Safe from Electrical Hazards

As a licensed insurance agent, even when I am acting as a simple customer service representative I am guaranteed to walk into your home and find at least one thing that makes me cringe with fear. Possible insurance hazards surround us everywhere we look and, unfortunately, not everyone is willing to teach the next person about the ins-and-outs of keeping their home safe. One of the recently discussed subjects in our office is electrical hazards, so I'd like to share a few of the things I know about how to keep yourself safe from electrical shocks or electrical fires.

Let's start with the inside of your home:

Electrical Outlets This seems like a no-brainer, but probably because you've never seen a home without them - all electrical outlets in your home should have wall plates. If children have access to the walls and outlets they should be plugged with safety covers. Missing wall plates and safety covers lead to exposed wires; exposed wires give children something new to touch. Touching exposed wires can lead to shock, severe injury, and even death.

Electrical Cords and Plugs Make sure those plugs at the end of the wire fit snugly into the electrical outlet. Loose fitting plugs can overheat and stand the chance of causing a fire. The same goes for the cords attached to the plugs - if they are damaged or frayed, do not use the appliance they are connected to as the damaged cords can also lead to an electrical fire or shock. Keep cords and wires out of the path of traffic to avoid slips and falls. Do not, however, staple or nail through a cord to attach it to a floor or baseboard. Stapling or nailing through cords could cause shock or fire as well.