Ever wonder how safe your house is from an electrical fire?
If you have an older home, if you use electrical baseboard or wall heating, or if extension cords snake around your living room, it might be a good idea to look into the safety of each.
According to energy experts at Clark Public Utilities and the Clark County Fire Marshal there are many ways homeowners can prevent fires that destroy property and damage belongings.
Richard Martin, Clark County assistant fire marshal, said most house fires result from human inattention or “unwise” use of electrical devices or appliances that can cause a fire. For example:
• Using a hot plate to cook dinner.
• Using a big pan of grease to deep fry food but then getting distracted and allowing the grease to ignite.
• Using electric extension cords to replace permanent wiring.
“Any of these can result in a fire that may wipe out a dwelling or result in the loss of household belongings,” Martin said.
• Older home wiring: Old houses, 1940s and older, might still have what is called “knob and tube” wiring. That wiring can’t carry near enough electrical current for a typical modern house full of appliances, says Rick Cantonwine, a utility energy adviser.
Many of those homes have been rewired by now, but make sure before loading up on computers and appliances that weren’t around in 1940, he says.
In “newer” old houses, the problem tends to be not enough outlets. This encourages unsafe use of power strips and extension cords, leading to too many loads on circuits. When wiring can’t handle the power load, it begins to heat up and degrade. As it degrades there is more resistance to the electrical flow, which in turn makes things hotter and can start a fire.
• Baseboard heating: Baseboard heaters can get hot enough to ignite paper and other flammable materials. Under normal conditions most baseboard heaters would not get that hot, but extremely cold weather or a thermostat that is stuck in the “on” position could make the heater run long enough to cause a problem.
Even too-close furniture can be a hazard. “We tell folks not to block them at all,” Cantonwine said.
• In-wall heaters: Electric in-wall heaters also can be hazardous if foreign material is inside or the heater is so clogged with dust, lint or pet fur that the airflow is reduced to the point that the heat can’t get out like it is designed to. The heater could ignite anything near it or the internal components themselves might burn.
“The most common fire hazards are blocked baseboard heaters, dirty wall heaters and ‘creative’ use of extension cords and plug strips,” Cantonwine said.
• Extension cords: “Extension cords are a wonderful thing if you’re using them to (temporarily) extend the length of a power tool or appliance,” Martin said. “Using them to replace permanent wiring is not so good.”
Never use extension cords for permanently mounted devices such as washers, dryers, refrigerators, built-in dishwashers, microwaves and wall ventilation fans. Never use extension cords with air conditioners or space heaters. Other fire prevention tips from the fire marshal:
• Keep clutter to a minimum.
• Use appliances in the way they were meant to be used. Don’t leave them plugged in.
• If you have a wood-burning stove or fireplace, clean the ashes using a metal container. Then place the container away from the house. The same goes for smokers.
• Limit use of candles around the house. Don’t leave them unattended. Better yet, get LED battery-operated candles that look and flicker like real candles. You can have the ambiance without the risk.
• When using slow-burning smokers or grills with propane tanks, do so away from the house.
• Do not use plug-ins, power strips or adapters for multiple appliances such as coffee makers, toasters or popcorn makers. Nor should any of these be used with an extension cord.
The Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities energy counselors, who provide conservation and energy use information to utility customers. Send questions to energyadviser@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, in care of Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA, 98668. Past topics are available at http://www.clarkpublicutilities.com
