Ask the expert: How to fire-proof your house

Sarah Lovell is a qualified electrician with more than 20 years of experience in Glasgow. In this month’s Ask the Expert column, she turns her attention to fire safety.
Sarah and her team can help protect your homeSarah and her team can help protect your home
Sarah and her team can help protect your home

Once it was chip pan fires and errant cigarette butts that sent fire engines racing to the rescue.

Now, electricity is the major cause of accidental fires in UK homes, killing around 70 people every year and seriously injuring 350,000 in electrical accidents.

Just 20 years ago the average UK home had a hi-fi system, a TV and maybe a video – today’s families are likely to have at least two televisions, a DVD player, a games console, microwave and computer, not to mention hair straighteners and several phones and tablets.

Consequently the risk of electrical accidents in the home is much higher than before.

The easiest way to ensure safety is to make sure that any electrical installation work is carried out only by a qualified electrician but there are other ways you can ensure you and your family stay safe.

Check your wiring

Faulty and aging wiring is one of the major causes of electrical fires, so have regular checks carried out on the condition of your cables, switches, sockets and other accessories.

Don’t create hazards

Electrical accidents are most likely when equipment is damaged or misused. So don’t overload sockets, and never ignore warning signs like burning smells, sounds of arcing (buzzing or crackling), fuses blowing or circuit-breakers tripping.

Check your plugs and sockets

Damaged plugs, sockets and cables can cause electric shocks, burns and fires. Only use plugs with the British Standard safety mark and check for burn marks or sounds of ‘arcing’, or signs of heat. Remove plugs from sockets carefully – don’t pull it by the cable as that puts a strain on it. If a cable is damaged, replace it immediately.

Use common sense

You’d be amazed how many people don’t unplug appliances before doing maintenance on them. Likewise, people trail cables under the carpet or rug to keep them out of the way without thinking of the consequences. Some people even dry clothes on an electric heater, with water dripping onto live parts - this is incredibly dangerous.

Install more sockets

With so many computers, games consoles and other appliances, demand for sockets has soared. Extension leads and adaptors provide a quick and easy solution but they can present a very real danger. In extreme cases they overheat, so don’t overload them, particularly with high-current appliances such as kettles, irons and heaters. Instead, ask a registered electrician to install more sockets – you’ll always find a use for them.

To find out more or to have a safety survey carried out on your home, visit her website or call the freephone number.

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