More times than not, we carelessly use electrical appliances in our kitchen without a second thought about safety. In some cases, it is because we have adopted a mind-set that accidents cannot happen to us. Sadly, a number of fire incidences are caused by faulty appliances in the household.
In order to help you prevent fire from breaking out in your home, here are a few tips on how to safely use and store household appliances in the kitchen:
Buy a reliable product: Cheap can be costly in the long run unfortunately. The cost to repair damage caused by fire would be much greater compared to investing in a reliable brand. This is especially the case when you are buying your refrigerator, freezer and oven. Moreover, we do pay more in the long run when we constantly have to replace faulty appliances. Before buying an appliance, make a quick research online on the brand and product to see if there has been cases of recall.
Ensure electrical appliances are dry before use: Before plugging in your rice cooker, blender and any other cool gadgets you have in your kitchen, make sure that they are dry. Safely store appliances in a dry place after use. Do not leave them around moist areas such as sinks.
Use the correct outlets for your plugs: Instead of sticking a pen or any other device when using a two-pronged plug with a three-pronged outlet, find an adapter which is compatible with your appliance.
Minimise electrical use: Your kitchen is already laden with heavy duty equipment such as your fridge and various other gadgets for kitchen use. Avoid charging your phone or other devices in the kitchen. Use appropriate extension cords for the electrical appliance to avoid overload.
Avoid cutting and rewiring appliances: When your appliance has malfunctioned or a fuse has blown, it is much safer to replace or repair than to DIY. In fact, if your appliance sparks once, apply caution and replace or repair. If the wires are exposed on your cord, patch them with an electrical tape. If the wires are broken, bring them to a repair shop or replace.
Don’t plug in with wet hands: Ensure your hand is dry and avoid standing in water when plugging in your device. Do not pull on the cord to unplug your device. It is also much safer to pull the plug rather than the cord.
Safely store away your gas bottle: Keep your gas bottle away from children. If you have children in the house, show them how to turn off the gas bottle. It is also important to teach them not to play with oven knobs and how to tell if it has been turned on or off.
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Sacos provides home owners with a Householders Insurance Policy and the Fire Policy to protect themselves in the event of a fire. Our policies provide coverage for the house building and household contents depending on the plan you select. For more information, call us on 429 5000 or email us at info@sacos.sc.
