What would you do in the event of an electrical emergency? If one happened in your home today, would you be prepared and know how to react? Here is everything you should know to do before an electrical emergency occurs, so you are best equipped to prevent or handle them when they do happen.
Have Your Home Inspected by a Professional
It’s wise to have a professional inspect your home on a fairly regular basis to ensure that nothing is amiss. If you notice that any of your electrical equipment or fuses are not acting as they should, it is a good idea to have them looked at by a professional – if not for functionality reasons, then for safety reasons at least.
Even if nothing in your home appears to be malfunctioning, it is still a good idea to have your home inspected for electrical issues now and again. This is especially true if you have an older home. Older homes usually have older wiring, which may still be in place since the home was originally built. You’ll see signs of electrical issues, such as outlets that don’t work, and these could be signs that the wiring is starting to fail. A routine electrical check can help prevent any accidental electrical fires from happening.
Stay Up to Date with Maintenance of Your Appliances
Your appliances may need to be maintained – and if they are not, the result can be an electrical emergency, such as an electrical fire. Read the manuals of new appliances as you purchase them and review the requirements of the appliances you already own. Make sure to keep up with any maintenance that these appliances may require. By staying up to date on things such as this, you can do your part to prevent an electrical emergency before one needs to happen!
Keep Your Home Stocked with the Essentials
In the event of something like a power outage, you’ll want to make sure that you have everything you need to function as usual in your home. The types of things you will need include plenty of extra batteries, flashlights, candles, battery-operated appliances such as heaters and fans, and more. You may also want to stock up on food in case the electrical emergency isn’t just affecting your home but the whole neighbourhood or even the city!
By having these essentials stocked up in your home, you will be prepared in the event of some electrical emergencies, such as the power going out. Think about the types of things you use on a daily basis that require electricity. Try to find alternatives to the most necessary of those functions that don’t require electricity and have them on hand in the event of a power outage.
Know Your Electrical System
An important step in being able to develop an emergency response plan is being thoroughly familiar with the design and layout of your electrical distribution system. The documentation that came with your system should also include one-line diagrams, which illustrate how the main components of your electrical system connect to one another – including available spares and redundant equipment.
By familiarizing yourself with this or having it on hand, you can react much better in an electrical emergency – because you know what is being affected and are equipped with the knowledge to handle it.
The Verdict
At the end of the day, preparing for an electrical emergency is important. You can do things to prepare on your own, and consult a professional to ensure the safety of your home for good measure. However, in the event of an actual emergency happening, make sure you know when to call a professional to restore order and safety to your home!
