Winter Electrical Safety Tips

Posted On: November 26, 2019

Compared to all the other seasons, winter may be the most dangerous — carbon monoxide harms more people during winter, and there are more deadly and destructive house fires during the coldest months of the year. To help keep you and your family safe, Jaffe Electric has put together some winter electrical safety tips to limit the risk of carbon monoxide and electrical fires.

We know the winter can be a hectic, stressful time, so our tips are easy and simple to follow. We want you and your family to stay safe and have a stress-free holiday season.

For more electrical safety tips and services in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC, trust Jaffe Electric — call our electricians at 301.253.3778 or contact us online.

Take charge of your family’s safety with these winter electrical safety tips:

Christmas Lights

Even though holiday lights are meant to be cheery and bright, if safety is neglected, they can prove to be a not-so-festive fire hazard.

  • Inspect wiring for damage — If the wiring on your Christmas lights is torn, it can throw sparks that start a fire.
  • Don’t hang lights on a dry tree — A fire-resistant artificial tree is safest, but if you want to go for the classic live tree, make certain that you keep your tree well-watered and wet. In a matter of minutes, sparks and excess heat can turn a dry tree into a fire.
  • Consider upgrading to LED Christmas lights — These beautiful, energy-efficient lights produce almost no heat, making LEDs the safest choice to bring holiday ambience.

Electric Heaters Safety

If you choose to keep warm in the winter with supplemental heaters, do it right — follow these winter electrical safety tips:

Space heaters

  • Keep anything flammable away from the space heater front, including paper, drapes, pillows, and blankets.
  • Supervise children around space heaters. Space heaters can be a burn or shock hazard.
  • Make sure the space heater plug is in good shape. A beaten-up plug can start fires.
  • Do not run cords underneath area rugs; this can start a fire.

Electric blanket

  • Never fall asleep with your electric blanket.
  • Make sure the plug and cord are in good shape, otherwise it can pose a fire hazard.
  • Do not cover your electric blanket with another blanket. Even if it’s comfortable to use both, the extra blanket can become a fire hazard.

Candles

  • Even if you believe it’s festive, do not hang candles on your Christmas tree.
  • Blow out all candles before you go to sleep.

Avoid Carbon Monoxide Dangers

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless gas that kills at high concentrations and causes irreversible injuries at lower levels. Since CO comes from the burning of fossil fuel, carbon monoxide poisoning more frequently occurs during winter.

Never use a camp stove inside

No matter how cold you get, never use a camp stove or any fossil fuel burner inside for heat. While you’ll feel warmer, you and your family will unknowingly breathe in this toxic gas.

Never use your gas oven for heat

Same principle as above – you’ll appreciate that your gas oven produces heat but as a byproduct, you’ll be exposed to the deadly gas.

Electrical Safety Inspection

The biggest risks of electrical fires include these fire-starting electrical components:

  • Outdated fuse boxes
  • Faulty electrical panels
  • Damaged wiring

Only an experienced electrician can determine if your electrical components are safe. As part of a safety inspection, Jaffe Electric will examine your electrical system top to bottom to ensure you and your family are safe this winter.

Contact Jaffe Electric online or call our electricians at 301.253.3778 for electrical wiring services in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC areas.

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