Haven't checked your appliances in a while? They're one of the leading causes of house fires.
Here's how to check your electricals and register them on a national database.
- Research shows more than 40 UK household fires are caused by faulty electrical goods
- Prevent the cause of fires by following a few simple tips when using appliances
- Register your appliances online to stay informed of any safety recalls
Here's how to reduce your risk:
- If your appliance doesn’t have an off switch, turn it off and unplug it at the wall when you’re not using it
- Don’t overload extension cables, and avoid using multi-plugs altogether if you can help it. Extension cables should only be used as a temporary measure
- Fit at least one smoke alarm on each level of your home and place one near your kitchen as a priority. Don’t forget to test them frequently
- Gas-powered appliances, such as your boiler, should be serviced regularly and checked for safety by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Don’t keep your refrigerator or freezer in the garage. Most fridges don't run properly if the temperature surrounding the appliance is low
- When using lawn mowers, strimmers or other electrical equipment in the garden, check the socket you're using has been fitted with a circuit breaker in case you accidentally cut through the electrical cable
- Always read the instruction booklet for each household appliance to understand the safest way to use it. Most electrical goods also have descriptions, manuals and how to guides on brand websites
- Once you’ve read the manual, store it in safe place, or in a box file along with all the other manuals for your household appliances. Keep any receipts with each booklet
There's also a government and industry-supported campaign encouraging homeowners to register all their household appliances on a secure database: Register my appliance
This way, if there’s a safety recall on an electrical item you own, you’ll know about it straightaway and the problem can be sorted by a qualified engineer.
Safely repairing your appliances sooner rather than later could help reduce the risk of accidental fires in the home, avoiding the need to claim on your home insurance.
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