Common causes of electrical fires and electrocutions

COMMON CAUSES OF ELECTRICAL FIRES

Here are the 5 most common causes of electrical fires:

Electrical fire cause 1: Faulty outlets, appliances. Most electrical fires are caused by faulty electrical outlets and old, outdated appliances. Other fires are started by faults in appliance cords, receptacles and switches. Never use an appliance with a worn or frayed cord which can send heat onto combustible surfaces like floors, curtains, and rugs that can start a fire.

Running cords under rugs is another cause of electrical fires. Removing the grounding plug from a cord so it can be used in a two-prong electrical outlet can also cause a fire. The reason appliances have the extra prong is so they can be only used in outlets that can handle the extra amount of electricity that these appliances draw.

Electrical fire cause 2: Light fixtures. Light fixtures, lamps and light bulbs are another common reason for electrical fires. Installing a bulb with a wattage that is too high for the lamps and light fixtures is a leading cause of electrical fires. Always check the maximum recommended bulb wattage on any lighting fixture or lamp and never go over the recommended amount.

Another cause of fire is placing materials like cloth or paper over a lampshade. The material heats up and ignites, causing a fire. Faulty lamps and light fixtures also frequently result in fires.

Electrical fire cause 3: Extension cords. Misuse of extension cords is another electrical fire cause. Appliances should be plugged directly into outlet and not plugged into an extension cord for any length of time. Only use extension cords as a temporary measure. If you do not have the appropriate type of outlets for your appliances, hire an electrician to install new ones.

Electrical fire cause 4: Space heaters. Because these types of heaters are portable, many times people put them too close to combustible surfaces such as curtains, beds, clothing, chairs, couches and rugs. Coil space heaters are especially dangerous in this regard because the coils become so hot they will almost instantaneously ignite any nearby flammable surface.

If you do use space heaters, use the radiator-type that diffuse heat over the entire surface of the appliance. These are less likely to ignite flammable items, but should still be kept away from them.

Electrical fire cause 5: Wiring. Outdated wiring often causes electrical fires. If a home is over 20 years old, it may not have the wiring capacity to handle the increased amounts of electrical appliances in today’s average home, such as computers, wide-screen televisions, video and gaming players, microwaves and air conditioners.

Breakers should be triggered when circuits get overloaded by too much electricity, but outdated breaker boxes often have worn connectors that do not work, causing the system to overload and start an electrical fire.

Throwing water on an electrical fire only makes it bigger and can cause electrocution to the person with the water; this is why dry chemicals are used to fight it. Electrical fires are known as class C and are put out with dry chemicals. The most common chemical in these extinguishers is carbon dioxide. If a class C extinguisher is not available, baking soda also can be used. When an electrical fire starts, the best thing to do first is turn off the power. This minimizes the chance of the fire spreading and, for minor fires, may take care of the problem. This is not guaranteed, though, so it is best to use an appropriate extinguisher, just in case. If you can not control the fire call 911 immediately and make sure all of your family and pets are out of the house.

Safety is NO ACCIDENT!

Homeowners can easily do most home electrical installations. The process from purchasing your permit, determining the best methods and material can sometimes be challenging. This is where Jones Electrical Consultations can help you through the process and help determine your options and parts that you will need. Mike Jones can answer any and all of your electrical questions .He will also help to ensure that your electrical installation is not only code compliant but also done in a safe manner.

Electrical hazards exist year round. Electrocution is the most serious and life-threatening of these hazards. Just as it is possible to drown in one inch of water, the tiniest amount of current can kill a person under the right conditions. Even light bulbs as small as those used to decorate Christmas trees can provide a jolt of electricity strong enough to stop heartbeat and breathing. If the electrical hazards to your body are not enough, consider this: in addition to the hundreds of deaths they cause every year, the blue smoke and ozone smell of electrical fires destroy dozens of homes and businesses, uprooting families and incurring thousands upon thousands of dollars in property damage.

Smart electrical safety practices begin in the home. There is more to it than just keeping water and other conductors as far away as possible from your electrical equipment and outlets. Be on the lookout for worn or damaged electrical wires, and replace them immediately. Do not modify or remove the third, or ground, prong to make your plugs fit into two-hole electrical outlets. Working on a piece of electrical equipment while it's plugged in is a huge no-no. Never try to drag or lift an electrical device by its power cord, either; the most likely result is that the wire's insulation will thin or shift, leading to an increased risk of electrical fires.

Avoid overtasking your wall outlets and power strips by adding doubling extension cords or adding outlet multipliers on top of outlet multipliers. The enormous amount of current required to support all the things you have plugged in comes with a cost: additional heat. The wires in your wall and extension cord are designed to support a certain amount of current and heat. Once that rated current is exceeded, you'll find that you've left the world of electrical safety and entered the far scarier world of electrical fires.

When you are the first to discover an electrocution or electrical fire, know what to do. Call for help and warn others immediately. Oftentimes, electrocution causes a person's muscles to contract, making it impossible for them to let go of whatever it is that is electrifying them. Don't make the mistake of trying to pull them away with your bare hands, as this will just raise the number of electrocution victims by one. Instead, try to get the power shut off quickly, using a wooden broomstick or some other non-conductor to unplug the malfunctioning device from the wall.

Know where your circuit breakers and fuse boxes are as well, in case it is a part of your home's infrastructure that is doing the electrocuting. If you are unable to de-energize the situation, use a leather belt or wooden broomstick--carefully!--to pull the victim away from the electrical hazard. When the victim is safely clear of the hazards, including electrical fires that may have sprung up, check for a pulse and regular breathing. Administer CPR and make sure qualified medical help is on the way.

It's not enough to think electrical safety occasionally. You cannot make your home electrically safe today and then mark it off your list forever. Electrical hazards will always find a way to zap the person who gets too complacent about electrical safety. To keep your home and family safe from electrical fires and electrocution, you need to keep awareness and prevention at the top of your list, wear-round.