Electrical Safety at Home

Electricity powers our homes and makes daily life easier—but it can also pose serious risks if not handled properly. Understanding basic electrical safety can help prevent fires, shocks, and costly damage. This section will guide you through some simple tips and best practices to keep your family and property safe around electricity.

Indoor Electrical Safety Tips

• Be sure to match light bulbs with the recommended wattage on the lamp or fixture. Exceeding the recommended wattage can be a fire hazard.
• Space heaters should never be used as a primary heat source. Keep space heaters at least three feet away from any combustible materials such as bedding, clothing, curtains, furniture and rugs. Don't leave space heaters unattended and don’t use in rooms where children are unsupervised. Always turn off and unplug when not in use.
• If an outlet or switch wall plate becomes hot or discolored by heat, shut off the circuit and have it professionally checked by an electrician.

Cords & Power Strips

• Major appliances like air conditioners, dryers, refrigerators, stoves, and washing machines should be plugged directly into an outlet and not into an extension cord or power strip.
• Make sure all electrical cords are in good condition without signs of frays or cracking. Do not place cords in high traffic areas, and do not staple or nail to baseboards or the wall. Cords should also not be placed under carpets, in small spaces, or anywhere they could be damaged such as under furniture.
• Extension cords are meant for temporary use. When using extension cords, inspect for wear and tear. Check that the extension cord fits securely in the outlet and does not feel warm after use. 
• If you are reliant on extension cords and power strips, consider having additional outlets installed where you need them.
•  Do not use space heaters with extension cords; plug directly into an outlet.

Electricians & Safety Installations

• Always use a licensed, qualified electrician when having any electrical work done on your home.
• Consider having an electrician install tamper-resistant receptacles (TRRs) in outlets if you have small children. TRRs can reduce the risk of electric shocks.
• Consider having an electrician install arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), which prevent fires by shutting off the circuit if arcing is detected.
• Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), which prevent electrocution from electricity coming into contact with water, should be installed in bathrooms, kitchens, garages, basements and outdoors.

Outdoor Electrical Safety Tips

• Outdoor electric outlets should be protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and should be covered when they aren’t in use.
• Outdoor lighting fixtures, light bulbs, and holiday lights should be weatherproof and protected by GFCIs.
• Keep dry leaves and other flammable material away from outdoor lighting, outlets, and power cords.
• Use only weather-resistant heavier gauge extension cords that are specifically marked for outdoor use.
• Before using a ladder, look up for overhead power lines.
• If an electrical device falls into water or a swimming pool, unplug before retrieving it.
• If a power line ever falls in your yard, contact RMLD or 911 immediately. Keep yourself and others at least 30 feet from the downed wire. Always assume that downed power lines are energized.

Light Bulb and Battery Disposal

• Incandescent light bulbs can be thrown away in the regular trash because they don’t contain any harmful components or toxic chemicals.  
• Fluorescent tubes and compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) contain mercury and should never be thrown in regular trash. I they break, the released mercury is detrimental to personal health and the environment.
• Button cell batteries found in watches, calculators, hearing aids, and electronics also contain mercury and should not be disposed of in the trash.
• Products containing mercury can be safety recycled at one of these locations.