How to Inspect Your Home for Electrical Hazards

Electrical hazards are a major cause of fires and deaths in the home, so it's important to be aware of any potential hazards that could be lurking in your home. A few simple precautions can help protect you and your family. So, what are some things you should keep in mind when inspecting your home for electrical hazards? Read on to find out!

Electrical safety inspections

Electrics are often taken for granted, but they can be a serious hazard if not properly maintained. The most important thing you can do to make sure your home is safe from electrical hazards is to regularly inspect your electrics. It's also important to keep in mind that other people, friends, family members, or even workers you hire might enter your home and inadvertently cause problems.

That’s why it’s important to conduct regular inspections of your electrical system – just like you would with any other safety device in your home. You should also maintain an inventory of all your appliances, checking cords for frays or cracks and ensuring that no exposed wiring is visible to passers-by.

Electrical outlets

Each outlet in your home should be properly wired. Electrical outlet wiring problems can cause electrical fires that are very hard to put out. Fortunately, there are a few easy steps you can take to avoid this problem:

Make sure the power cords of all appliances and other devices are connected with no loose parts or exposed wires.

If the outlet is damaged, replace it immediately instead of using a "plaster" fix. If you have "three-pronged" plugs that fit into a two-hole outlet, consider having them replaced with two-pronged plugs to avoid electric shock and fire hazards.

Make sure every electrical fixture is grounded. In most cases, an electrician will install a ground wire but you should make sure that it is in place and working properly.

Do not replace or repair faulty wiring yourself. Electrical wiring can be complex even for experienced professionals. If wires look damaged or worn out, call an electrician to have them replaced immediately.

Home electrics inspection: check for these 4 things

1. Check for Unstable Wiring: You should also avoid plugging multiple appliances in the same outlet or placing wires near water sources. If you ever notice a wire or breaker that has been tripped, broken, or overheating, unplug it immediately. And call in an expert!

2. Electrical Outlets: Outlets that are a different size than the other outlets in the home, worn and torn cord covers or missing outlet covers are all potential hazards.

3. Electrically Reactive Materials: Electrically reactive materials include aluminium foil and other metal objects like foil-backed cooking pans or foil-wrapped chocolate bars, which can short out wires as they're being used because of the electrical charge that builds upon them.

4. Electrocution Hazard: Electrocutions are the leading cause of accidental deaths from home electrics, so make sure your homes have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) outlets in wet areas to shut off the power in a circuit if it detects current leaking to the ground, such as from a wet person to metal objects like doorknobs.

Staying safe

Electrics can be found anywhere in the home, including outlets, switches or circuits that connect electrical wires together. A thorough inspection from time to time will be vital in protecting you, your home, but most importantly, your family. Consider the tips shared above and if you discover any worrying signs around your home, or perhaps just aren't sure, our HandyExperts are on hand to help you out.

HandyExperts tradespeople will provide you a guaranteed service level.
With HandyExperts, you can book your job quickly online or by calling us on 0330 912 2323. We’ll help get a qualified tradesperson out to you as soon as we can. You’ll even have our own dedicated team of account managers to assist you with the job and anything else you might need.