Half of household fires are caused by electricity! Most of these fires are caused by electrical products, either through misuse or faults, followed by poor or failing installation of your Aylesford homes wiring.
In this blog will discuss how you can protect your family from household fires with some preventative measures and ongoing fire safety checks.
Electrical fires in the home - PBA Electrical & Renewables, Aylesford
How can I protect my home from electrical fires?
Consumer unit check
If you are looking at the electrical safety in your Aylesford home, then the first place to start is your consumer unit. Your consumer unit is the control centre for electricity in your home. If your consumer unit doesn’t have RCD (residual current device) protection, then we strongly recommend in making the swap. RCDs are life saving devices that switches off the electricity automatically if there is a fault, in turn this will protect you and your loved ones from a potentially deadly situation.
Electrical safety standards state that every consumer unit should have an RCD. If you own a 17th edition metal consumer unit, we can retrofit an RCD as metal units are now the industry standard to prevent overheating connections.
Electrical Installation Condition report (EICR)
PBA Electrical & Renewables Ltd are a member of the NICEIC and carry out EICRs on both rented and owned properties throughout Kent. An EICR is undertaken by a registered electrician who tests the safety of your household electrical installation. During this test, faults can be found that could cause an electrical fire. These faults can then be rectified to ensure your installation is up to date with electrical safety standards. It is recommended that an EICR is carried out every 10 years. With cables buried in walls and under floorboards, you cannot see the degradation of cables unless they are tested.
Appliance safety
Appliances that produce heat need to be used with caution. For example, if you are using a portable heater, this must be kept away from curtains and other flammable materials. Hair dryers and straighteners produce an extreme amount of heat and should be unplugged and stored in a safe manner.
Before using appliances, check there are no exposed cables, overtime cable covers become worn. Exposed cable is a cause for concern and the item should not be used.
Smoke alarms
A must for every home, you should have a smoke alarm installed on the ground and top floor (if you are in a house). Early detection is key in maintaining the safety of your loved ones.
PBA Electrical & Renewables - Helping you keep your home safe
If you would like to speak to us about the electrical safety of your home, please do call us today. We are your local and experienced electrician in Aylesford.
