How Extension Cords and Overloaded Electrical Outlets Lead To House Fires
In our fast-paced world of today, we want to use the latest gadgets to make our lives easier and more enjoyable. This means that we are using refrigerators that can refrigerate and freeze food, while also dispensing drinking water and displaying recipes on an LCD screen. It also means that we are accessing the Internet and watching “On Demand™” movies on our large high-definition LCD or LED screen.
These electronics are certainly wonderful items to have, as they make us feel like we are in a movie theater, yet we can go to our kitchen and quickly get a cold beverage to quench our thirst whenever we choose without missing any of the movie (as we can pause the movie) and without disturbing anyone.
However, there is a downside to these technological gadgets, and that is the energy they use. While many products are more energy-efficient than their counterparts from decades past, they still draw considerable power, and if you are not careful, they can cause electrical fires inside of your home.
Many mistakes that people make is that they use extension cords to power electronic devices such as televisions, DVD™ or Blu-Ray™ players, subwoofers, desktop computers, etc. The problem with this is that many extension cords are not designed to handle the type of power and the continuous loads that these items require. Plugging them into power strips via extension cords is just increasing the odds that your home will experience an electrical fire that can cause significant damage and even death to you and/or your loved ones.
Therefore, electricians everywhere, including those in the Milwaukee area, will strongly advise you to plug any high-powered electronic devices into your power strips directly. These items need a great deal of power that can only safely be channeled through the item’s own power cord, not through a small gauge extension cord.
Another major mistake homeowners make is plugging too many electronics into one electrical outlet. This is especially true if they have multiple power strips plugged into a single outlet. Most electrical contractors, including those here in Milwaukee, will advise you to limit yourself to one power strip per outlet to minimize the chances that your wiring causes an electrical fire.
It is important to keep in mind that if you have a power strip connected to many or all of the electrical outlets in your home, you could be increasing the amount of electrical loads by 5-6 times what the wiring in the house was originally designed for. You simply need more 120-volt circuits and more dedicated 120-volt receptacles where you are using the power strips. Plugging one or more power strips into a duplex receptacle does not mean it will be safe. In fact, the opposite is true. This actually creates an unsafe condition. Why take the risk? Have a qualified electrician correct or upgrade your substandard wiring.
Having all your outlets available via the power strips does NOT mean that you can use all of those outlets at the same time, especially for devices that use a great deal of power. Using them all at the same time will make it much more likely that your house’s wiring or electrical circuits will overload, leading to fuses burning out and higher chances of a fire occurring.
It is important to be more aware of all your new electronic devices, electrical appliances, and any other electrical loads in your home or business. While today’s appliances and electronics are made to use less energy than their older counterparts, you still have to take precautions not to plug too many loads into the same electrical outlets and/or using too many at any one time. You can’t reverse the damage from a house fire…or the possible loss or injury to you or your loved ones. Common sense will go a long way here. Please call an electrical contractor and schedule a service call to make sure your home is safe for you and your family.
Leave a Comment
Pages
- About Us
- Back-up Generators
- Blog
- Brown Deer Electrician
- Glendale Electrician
- Lightning Surge Protection
- Menomonee Falls Bay Electrician
- Milwaukee Electrician
- Newsletter Thank You
- Reviews
- Services
- Shorewood Electrician
- Sparks Electric
- Specials & Discounts
- Videos
- Wauwatosa Electrician
- West Allis Electrician
- Whitefish Bay Electrician
Archives
Categories
- Uncategorized (47)
Connect With Us
How Extension Cords and Overloaded Electrical Outlets Lead To House Fires
In our fast-paced world of today, we want to use the latest gadgets to make our lives easier and more enjoyable. This means that we are using refrigerators that can refrigerate and freeze food, while also dispensing drinking water and displaying recipes on an LCD screen. It also means that we are accessing the Internet and watching “On Demand™” movies on our large high-definition LCD or LED screen.
These electronics are certainly wonderful items to have, as they make us feel like we are in a movie theater, yet we can go to our kitchen and quickly get a cold beverage to quench our thirst whenever we choose without missing any of the movie (as we can pause the movie) and without disturbing anyone.
However, there is a downside to these technological gadgets, and that is the energy they use. While many products are more energy-efficient than their counterparts from decades past, they still draw considerable power, and if you are not careful, they can cause electrical fires inside of your home.
Many mistakes that people make is that they use extension cords to power electronic devices such as televisions, DVD™ or Blu-Ray™ players, subwoofers, desktop computers, etc. The problem with this is that many extension cords are not designed to handle the type of power and the continuous loads that these items require. Plugging them into power strips via extension cords is just increasing the odds that your home will experience an electrical fire that can cause significant damage and even death to you and/or your loved ones.
Therefore, electricians everywhere, including those in the Milwaukee area, will strongly advise you to plug any high-powered electronic devices into your power strips directly. These items need a great deal of power that can only safely be channeled through the item’s own power cord, not through a small gauge extension cord.
Another major mistake homeowners make is plugging too many electronics into one electrical outlet. This is especially true if they have multiple power strips plugged into a single outlet. Most electrical contractors, including those here in Milwaukee, will advise you to limit yourself to one power strip per outlet to minimize the chances that your wiring causes an electrical fire.
It is important to keep in mind that if you have a power strip connected to many or all of the electrical outlets in your home, you could be increasing the amount of electrical loads by 5-6 times what the wiring in the house was originally designed for. You simply need more 120-volt circuits and more dedicated 120-volt receptacles where you are using the power strips. Plugging one or more power strips into a duplex receptacle does not mean it will be safe. In fact, the opposite is true. This actually creates an unsafe condition. Why take the risk? Have a qualified electrician correct or upgrade your substandard wiring.
Having all your outlets available via the power strips does NOT mean that you can use all of those outlets at the same time, especially for devices that use a great deal of power. Using them all at the same time will make it much more likely that your house’s wiring or electrical circuits will overload, leading to fuses burning out and higher chances of a fire occurring.
It is important to be more aware of all your new electronic devices, electrical appliances, and any other electrical loads in your home or business. While today’s appliances and electronics are made to use less energy than their older counterparts, you still have to take precautions not to plug too many loads into the same electrical outlets and/or using too many at any one time. You can’t reverse the damage from a house fire…or the possible loss or injury to you or your loved ones. Common sense will go a long way here. Please call an electrical contractor and schedule a service call to make sure your home is safe for you and your family.