A power strip is a handy device to have around the house when you need to plug in many appliances or devices, but you have a limited number of wall outlets. Some people use surge protectors to plug in their devices because they also protect against surges in voltage.
However, while power strips can be a relatively effective solution, there are a few power strip safety tips you need to keep in mind when using them. Here’s what you need to know.
Don’t Overload Your Power Strips
Electricity is so convenient and it’s normal to have many devices and appliances plugged in all at once in many homes. There’s no getting around the fact Americans consume a lot of electricity. For instance, in 2019, electric utilities generated approximately 2.25 billion megawatt hours of electricity in the U.S. alone. That’s quite a lot of electricity!
But still, even if there’s a high demand for power outlets in your home, you shouldn’t rely on power strips too much. Make sure you only plugin light-load appliances, such as computers and lamps. Therefore power strips should be used sparingly because they were not designed to maintain a load for long periods of time.
Watch Out for Overheating
As your electrician will tell you, it’s a bad sign if your power strip starts overheating. To avoid this, for starters, you should always purchase power strips that have an internal circuit breaker. That way, if your power strip gets dangerously hot, at least the risk of a fire is minimized. If your power strip feels hot to the touch, do not continue using it.
Make Sure Your Power Strips Are In the Right Place
Using power strips in a moist environment can be dangerous. Therefore, it’s best if you avoid using power strips in your kitchen, basement, or bathroom. In addition, make sure that when you’re using your power strip it’s not covered by anything, otherwise, this might smother the device, which increases the chances of a fire happening.
Your safety is our priority, which is why we have shared these power strip safety tips with you. In a nutshell, power strips can be handy but they should be used sparingly. The best alternative to powerstrips you should consider is calling a qualified electrician and asking them to install additional outlets.
If you need an electrician to come in immediately, we are just a call away! Contact us to learn more about how we can help you by installing more outlets in your home.