Fire Prevention Canada messages
THE DANGERS OF EXTENSION CORDS:
- Extension cords are a common cause of electrical fires. That is why you must be careful to use only extension cords that are rated for the power used by the device they are powering.
- Extension cords must never be run inside walls or under rugs or furniture. They can be damaged by traffic or heavy furniture and start arcing, which can lead to a fire.
- Extension cords can get warm during use and must be able to dissipate this heat or they can start a fire.
SIGNS OF AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM:
- Flickering lights: if the lights dim every time you turn on an appliance it means that the circuit is overloaded or has a loose connection.
- Sparks: if sparks appear when you insert or remove a plug, it could be a sign of loose connections.
- Warm electrical cord: if an electrical cord is warm to the touch, the cord is underrated or defective.
- Frequent blown fuses or broken circuits: a fuse that continues to blow or circuit breaker that keeps tripping is an important warning sign of problems.
- Frequent bulb burnout: a light bulb that burns out frequently is a sign that the bulb is too high in wattage for the fixture.