A Checklist for Halloween Electrical Safety
Halloween is a time for tricks and treats, but it can also be a time for safety hazards if homeowners are not careful. This guide will share how to decorate the home safely for Halloween so homeowners can enjoy the holiday without worrying about accidents.
There are several things a homeowner should do during the decoration process that can keep the scary stuff fun and keep them from becoming a real cause for alarm, such as causing electrical fires.
Make Sure They Pass an Inspection
Halloween comes but once a year, and that means that the decorations spend the majority of the time in storage, where it is easy for things to go unnoticed. Before setting up and plugging in decorations every year, a person should inspect them for damaged cords and wires.
Rodents and other pests are known for making a mess of cords, and the age of the decor piece may mean that normal wear and tear have caused it to develop faulty wiring. Before plugging anything in, a homeowner should check for exposed wires, broken bulbs, and the main cord. Decorations suffering from damage are a safety hazard and shouldn’t be used.
Have a Clear Strategy For Plugging in Decorations
Even if a person is not looking for a display to rival the Griswold’s Christmas lights, they should still be strategic about where things need to be plugged in. Overloading outlets causes electrical fires at worst, and at best, things will not work as they should. Below are a few safety tips for plugging in outdoor decorations:
- GFCI Outlets: Outlets categorized as ground-fault circuit interrupters sense the balance of current flowing out of and back into a receptacle. If the flow becomes unequal, then the outlet breaks the circuit. These are perfect for outdoors because they prevent electric shock that can happen with contact with moisture.
- Avoid Water: Obviously, a person cannot protect their display from precipitation, but avoiding hoses, sprinkler systems, ponds, and swimming pools is a good safety precaution. The danger of electric shock goes way up if things are plugged in near water sources.
- Use Extension Cords Sparingly: Extension cords can be a valuable tool but can also cause tripping hazards and shock hazards. In addition, too many things plugged into one extension cord can get too hot and melt, causing serious damage.
Take Advantage of the Safety Features in Surge Protectors
One of the ways to increase safety is to use surge protectors. Surges in electricity cause higher-than-normal amounts of energy to run through a wire. Power surges can often cause damage to electronics, and the heat from the surge can ignite an electrical fire. Surge protectors are made to shut off when a power surge happens, protecting the electronics and the home.
Surge protectors come in whole-home models that electricians can install in a breaker box. They can also come in the form of a power strip for extra protection for things plugged into them. Surge protectors are important to prevent electrical fires and damage to any devices or decorations plugged into outlets during a surge.
About Southwest Florida Electric Inc.
Southwest Florida Electric Inc. is a family-owned and operated company serving Fort Myers, FL, and the surrounding areas since 2010. They offer upfront pricing, on-time arrival, financing, and the latest technology. Call them today for whole house surge protector services in Fort Myers, FL.
