Common Causes of Electrical Fires During the Winter Months | Insight from Your Trusted Conway, SC Electrical Repair Service Provider

1/21/2020

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Winter is a great time of year, and with the seasonal risks of holiday lighting and holiday trees now past you may not be worried about home fires anymore. However, even if your Conway, SC home is up to code some fire risks arise during the winter months. House fires are common during the winter months for a variety of reasons, here are just a few of the things you should be on guard against. Simple electrical repairs can help eliminate the risk of most of these very easily.

This is one reason why a regular electrical repair is recommended on a seasonal basis in Conway, SC. Seasonal repair reminds you to have an electrical repair company come out to your home for an annual inspection, and ensures that you and your family stay warm and safe year-round.

Your HVAC System 

The biggest risk of home fires during the winter months lies in HVAC systems that are not properly working. Thus, in addition to making sure that any necessarily electrical repairs are taken care of, you should also have your HVAC system maintenance before the winter months hit. It is estimated that over 50,000 fires over four years in the US were caused by faulty heating equipment. This means that when you are looking at electrical repair services, you also may want to look closely at your HVAC system in Conway, SC.

Prevent HVAC Related Fires

You can easily lower the risks of an HVAC related fire by making sure that you have your boiler, furnace, or other heating system components inspected on a routine basis. Most HVAC related fires occur because the electrical components have not been properly checked or the system has not been cleaned for a while. While having someone come check out your system for electrical repair or a regular tune-up is not always convenient, it is the best way to prevent an electrical fire which is much more of an inconvenience.

Use Space Heaters Carefully

A lot of people use space heaters to heat areas of their home that their HVAC system does not evenly heat. Other people buy space heaters to offset the costs of running their HVAC system around the clock. Regardless of why you choose to use space heaters, you need to make sure you run them wisely to avoid fire risk.

Always make sure that your space heater is set far away from any surfaces that could be potentially flammable. This includes things like curtains, oils, or carpeting. You also want to make sure that your space heater is not by anything that could fall on it while you are asleep or away (Although you should never leave a space heater unattended to eliminate any risks at all).

Once you make sure the space heater is properly situated in your home, ensure that you power it with a grounded outlet. Space heaters require a high level of wattage, and therefore an electrical circuit that is old or in need of repair is libel to short out or burn out. Believe it or not, some space heaters actually run hotter than the oven in your kitchen. If you know an outlet requires electrical repair, never plug anything into it. If you don’t have a grounded outlet, you should call an electrical repair company in Conway, SC because that is a very easy fix.

Use Your Generator Wisely 

A home generator is a great way to ensure that you never have to face a power outage during the winter months. Due to climate change, weather patterns are changing dramatically and severe weather is becoming more common. It is hard to predict what any season will bring to the area. While South Carolina does not experience the frigid temperatures that other states do when strong weather hits it is noticeable. 

Generators can be a great way to maintain power, but they also carry risks with them when they are not properly maintained. They have been known to spark a flame when in need of electrical repair or if the fuel inside the generator is old. If your generator has not been used for six months it is not a bad idea to have it inspected. It’s great news if you never need it, but you want to ensure it is in safe working order when the day comes that you do.

Check Your Kitchen Out 

Hot food tastes amazing on a cold day, but you need to make sure the kitchen you prepare it in is safe. A large portion of fires actually start in the kitchen, mainly because of the many high-powered appliances that are located in the room. All kitchen spaces that are close to water sources like your refrigerator or sink should have GFCI outlets. If they don’t, a quick call to your local electrical repair guy should solve this problem. 

Also, your refrigerator, oven, range, and microwave should all be on dedicated circuits to avoid a power surge that could eventually lead to a kitchen fire. Finally, you should always use caution when cooking. You should never leave appliances that are on and you should always use common sense when cooking with electric, gas, or an open flame. If something seems like a bad idea, always follow your gut instinct and change the way you approach your task.

Consult with an Electrical Professional

Most of these fire risks can be easily mitigated with a regular electrical inspection. If your home electrical system has not been appraised in the last few years you may want to consider having an electrical company come out and inspect it. Proper service is the best way to prevent home fires from occurring in your home. Contact Mister Sparky to schedule an appointment.