A third of all accidental house fires are caused by faulty or misused electrical equipment but you can carry out a few simple checks and precautions to make your home safer:
- Unplug electrical appliances when not in use (unless designed to be left on e.g. Fridge)
- Register your appliances so you will be notified of any safety repairs/recalls
Click here to register your appliance
- Maintain tumble dryers and washing machines clean and clear excess fluff
- Keep all appliances clean, safe and in working order
- Make sure appliances have a British or European Safety Mark
- Don’t overload plug sockets – extension leads/adaptors have a limit to how many amps they can take, try to keep one plug per socket especially for high powered appliances
Click here to visit the Socket Overload Calculator and check your risk
- Unplug electric blankets before going to bed (unless it has a thermostat for all-night use)
- Keep electric blankets flat folding damages the internal wiring, store flat/rolled instead
- Always buy new electric blankets and check regularly for wear and tear
- Keep heaters away from curtains and furniture and never use them to dry clothes
- Use an ironing board and turn off after use and leave to cool on a heat resistant surface
- Devices e.g. laptops should be on a well-ventilated surface and not on beds or sofas
- Switch off hair straighteners/curling tongs after use and leave to cool on a heat resistant surface away from curtains, carpets and anything else that can catch fire
- Regularly check for worn/frayed wires ensure cables are secured properly to the plug
- Use an Residual Current Device (RCD) it’s like a circuit breaker to protect against electric shocks and electrical fire risk
Useful links
Gov.uk Fire Safety in the home
Which? Fridge freezer don’t buys over fire safety concerns
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