Although we do not think about it, our life is nothing without electricity. But, when we use electricity, we simply overlook heating and cooling safety issues. No one thinks of them as essential when their system is running correctly. A lot of new owners do not even know what to do when something goes wrong. It can turn out to be extremely dangerous if not handled with care and proper respect as electricity has the power to kill.
According to a survey, there are over 50,000 electrical fires everywhere. These electrical fires result in almost 500 deaths, and more than 1500 people get injured. Not only this, but about $1.2 billion is used to cover the property damage. This is why the owners must follow all the HVAC electrical safety tips.
Some HVAC Electrical Safety Tips for You
Although HVAC systems are designed so that it is safe and efficient to use them, accidents happen sometimes. For this reason, it is essential to keep your family and house safe with the following electrical safety tips.
Test Your Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarms
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are vital devices that you attach to your home security system. They are not only life-saving devices, but when installed in your home security system, they give you a sense of satisfaction as well. But, you need to ensure that these devices are working correctly. Otherwise, there is no use for them. According to a survey, more than sixty-percent of fire deaths are caused because the smoke detectors are not working correctly. This is why it is crucial to test these devices now and then.
Clean Your Air Filters Regularly
A lot of new owners do not realize the importance of clean air filters. This is why they never clean their air filters. What they do not realize is the fact that clogged air filters can cause a lot of problems. For instance, when air filters are clogged, it can result in carbon monoxide fumes’ leakage in your home. As a result, your house can cause fire too. That’s why it is imperative to clean your air filters regularly. You must clean or replace them once every three months.
Replace Damaged Extension Cords
Look for the damaged extension cords in your house. These damaged extension cords are one of the reasons that a fire can occur in your house. So, you must replace the damaged extension cords as soon as you see them. When you are buying new cords, you should look for the cords that have Underwriters Laboratory (UL) labels. This label indicates that the extension cords are approved and tested by a testing laboratory. What’s more, you should never use an extension cord for a long time. Make sure that you are only using them for a short period.
Keep Sensitive Things Away From Your Heating Equipment
You need to ensure the safety of all your heating equipment. For this, you should keep the things that can burn away from your heating equipment. In addition to this, you should try to avoid hanging the drying clothes near your heating equipment as well. That’s because wet clothes can turn out to be extremely dangerous for these machines. Do not cover up your heating machines such as portable heaters, heaters, and other appliances. These machines need ventilation to avoid overheating. So, when you cover them up, there is a high chance that they will overheat and cause a fire.
Schedule Professional Maintenance
Many new owners do not know this, but they need to maintain their heating and cooling systems professionally. You need to pick the best professional maintenance services such as Clover Services to inspect and maintain your HVAC system. These professionals will ensure that all your equipment is working effectively and safely. In addition to this, the professional maintenance service provider will also clean your system to ensure that there is no leak of carbon monoxide. This is why you need to schedule professional maintenance of your HVAC system twice a year.
Teach HVAC Electrical Safety to Children
If you have not already had a talk with your children about HVAC electrical safety, then it’s high time that you do it now. Teaching electrical safety to your children is not only crucial for their security but for the protection of everyone around them. In addition to this, you need to conduct a survey of your house for exposed wires or plugs. That’s important because children are prone to touching the wires. These exposed wires can give them an electric shock and sometimes can even result in their death. This is why you must teach your children all about electrical safety.
Create Your Emergency Escape Plan
Even if you consider all the safety measures, you need to be prepared if a fire starts. You do not have much time to escape if there is a fire. This is why you need to have an emergency escape plan in action. When you have an emergency escape plan prepared, everyone will know what to do and where to go in advance. Do not forget to practice your emergency escape plan many times, as practice will make you perfect. Follow your emergency escape plan if a fire occurs, and call the fire department once you are outside the house.
Always Have a Fire Extinguisher On Hand
In case an electrical fire does occur, you should never pour water on the fire to extinguish it. It will only add more to the damage and cause a hazard to the people trying to extinguish the fire. That’s because water has sediment that conducts electricity. You should use a fire extinguisher instead. A fire extinguisher has all the properties that are needed to handle electrical fire. So, always have a fire extinguisher on hand.
We want you and your family to be safe from HVAC electrical damages. You can now attain maximum safety by following the HVAC electrical safety tips that we have mentioned above for you. Stay Safe!
