Tips for Preventing Electrical Fires
Electrical fires can be a common problem, especially in older homes with aging electrical systems. From 2005 to 2009, according the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), electrical fires resulted in 438 deaths, 1,430 injuries and $1.47 billion in property damage. But few Atlanta residents take the necessary precautions to prevent these disasters from occurring in their home. American Alarm Corporation is one of the top Atlanta fire alarm monitoring companies, so we want you to understand what is needed to ensure your home is safe from any danger of an electrical fire.
The NFPA has several recommendations for reducing the risk of electrical fires:
- Avoid placing any objects near your electric meter or circuit breaker.
- For homes with older electrical systems, have a professional electrician replace or repair old or loose electrical outlets. Forty-nine percent of electrical fires were caused by either the electrical distribution system of a home or lighting.
- Many electrical fires occur because of the use of extension cords. Rather than running cables through doors and in and out of rooms, you may want to consider having more electrical outlets installed.
- Try not to overload any one outlet with multiple high-wattage devices. Forty-six percent of electrical fires involved devices such as hair dryers, washers and dryers and stove ranges. Try to avoid plugging these devices into the same outlets.
If your home has a fire alarm that is disconnected or broken, consider having an Atlanta fire alarm monitoring company come in to repair it. Even if we didn’t install the alarm, American Alarm Corporation will fix your system so that your family will be safe. Call (770) 645-0061 to talk to one of our customer service representatives and find out how we can get your alarm system up and running again.