---
title: Electrical Safety in Homes
description: Electricity is a double-edged sword – it is both a necessary part of modern life as well as a safety hazard if not handled carefully. Since electricity pro
---

[Blog ](https://puroclean.ca/blog)

# [Electrical Safety in Homes](https://puroclean.ca/blog/electrical-safety-homes)

 Written by [purocleaneditorial](https://puroclean.ca/blog/author/purocleaneditorial) | Sep 1, 2016 4:00:00 AM

Electricity is a double-edged sword – it is both a necessary part of modern life as well as a safety hazard if not handled carefully. Since electricity produces heat, it may start a fire under certain circumstances. However, the risk of electrical fires and electrical shocks can be drastically reduced by following a number of simple rules. Here are several ways to avoid electrical hazards in homes:

- **Checking the cords of all appliances regularly.** Frayed or loose cords should be replaced or repaired. Running cords under rugs or furniture is to be avoided.
- **Keeping cords away from heat sources**, such as radiator, oven, candles or fireplace, as well as from water.
- **Plugging major appliances directly into outlets**, whenever possible. Additional outlets or circuits should be installed in the home to avoid using extension cords.
- **Plugging only one high-wattage appliance into an outlet** at a time. Too many plugs into an outlet can be a safety hazard.
- **Checking the temperature **of outlets, switches and cords. If they are warm to the touch, cords should be unplugged as soon as possible.
- **If there are children living in the home**, adults must ensure that the electrical receptacles are tamper-resistant.
- **Using only the type of light bulbs** specified by the manufacturer in a light fixture. The recommended bulb wattage for a fixture or lamp should not be exceeded.
- **If there are dim, flickering or surging lights in the home**, homeowners should turn them off immediately and call a certified electrician.
- **Installing Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters** (GFCIs) in the bathroom, laundry room, basement and outdoors. These devices are designed to protect people from electrical shock. Additionally, installing **Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters** (AFCIs) can prevent electrical fires.

Learning about the most common [causes of electrical fires](https://www.puroclean.ca/blog/top-5-causes-electrical-fires?hsLang=en) in a home can also help homeowners prevent fires. For those who are working outdoors, here are a number of important [outdoor electrical safety tips](https://www.puroclean.ca/blog/safety-tips-electricity-outdoors?hsLang=en). The PuroClean team stands ready to provide professional restoration services to any property affected by fire, water or mould damage.

Follow us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/PuroCleanCanada), [Facebook](https://facebook.com/PuroCleanCanada), [Google+](https://plus.google.com/u/1/b/118257444776273949115/+PuroCleanCanadaMarkham/posts) and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/purocleancanada) to get our notifications! 

[View full post](https://puroclean.ca/blog/electrical-safety-homes)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "purocleaneditorial"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-05-02T13:15:20.802Z",
  "datePublished" : "2016-09-01T04:00:00Z",
  "headline" : "Electrical Safety in Homes",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 969,
    "url" : "https://41336808.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/41336808/Imported_Blog_Media/electrical-fire-1-1.jpg",
    "width" : 1280
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://puroclean.ca/blog/electrical-safety-homes",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60,
      "url" : "/hs/hsstatic/content_shared_assets/static-1.4092/img/default-amp-logo.png",
      "width" : 60
    },
    "name" : "Blog"
  }
}
```