The home should be your place of safety. And in these more troubled times, it has become all the more vital to ensure families are safe in their homes.
Such peace of mind requires some vigilance and some work. The gas and electrical appliances and infrastructure within your property keep you comfortable but can also become a hazard. Our engineers are often called out to deal with emergencies and major failures that could easily have been avoided with appropriate maintenance.
Here we offer a guide to keeping your family safe in the home.
Electrical safety
There are thousands of fires each year caused by electrical faults. There are hundreds of accidents in the home involving electrocution or other electricity-related incidents. Consequently, it is important to be vigilant about electrical safety.
The main cause of fire is from damaged wiring or faulty electrical equipment. However, there are common incidents caused by faulty lamps, light fixtures and transformers. If you want to be sure that your home is completely safe, you may want to ask for an electrician to undertake a domestic electricity safety check.
If everything is well maintained, there are still other checks to make. For instance, do not bunch a lot of plugs into the one outlet or extension lead. You may wish to use a breaker plug, which will immediately switch off power to the appliance if there is a surge of electricity. You should also make sure your wires are tucked out of the way, so pets cannot chew on them and you cannot trip. Finally, all plugs should be removed from the socket with the plug and not the wire. Any damage to the cord can result in faults that can compromise safety.
Gas safety
We need our gas supply for heating and cooking. It is fundamental to our comfort levels and wellbeing. However, gas can be a potential hazard in the home, especially in the event of a leak. If you can smell gas, then you should call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. If you are calling on a mobile phone make sure you are well away from the leak.
In the home, you need to make sure that your gas appliances are regularly serviced by a Gas Safety registered engineer. You should also ask them to make sure all ventilation bricks, grilles and outside flues are present and clear. Any appliance not working appropriately should not be used. It should be switched off immediately. Finally, you should fit a carbon monoxide detector to act as a guide. You should not completely rely on this detector. Instead, you should keep up regular safety checks to see that appliances are working appropriately.
Paine Manwaring is proud of the work our team of engineers undertake to keep your family safe. Contact us to see how we can help you today.