Most homes today have a large number of appliances at their homes. Oftentimes, these appliances outnumber the power outlets in your home. The use of power strips is not an uncommon thing at all. However, there are certain dos and don’ts of power strips that you must keep in your mind. What are they? Our electrician Toronto team answers this question here.
Top things you must keep in mind when you use power strips
Check out the top things that you must keep in your mind when you use power strips below.
1) Don’t connect heavy appliances with the power strip: Remember, power strips are there to handle the load of light devices like lamps, laptops, etc. By no means, you should try to connect devices like refrigerators, washing machines, etc.
Connecting the heavy appliances imparts an overload on your power strip, which can cause a short circuit.
2) Avoid using multiple power strips: You must avoid using the power strip at all, but if it becomes mandatory to use, ensure that you don’t use more than one power strips.
Using multiple power strips can damage your device, or cause electrical disasters like short circuits or electrical fires.
3) Don’t use power strips in the bathroom: Power strips draw a lot of electricity, which is why we don’t recommend you to use them in the bathroom. Appliances like geysers should be connected to the outlets, and not with the power strips.
Thus, the next thing you must keep in your mind when you use a power strip; never use it in the bathroom.
4) Use the power strip only for the designed use: The power strip is designed for either indoor or outdoor use. This use is always specified.
You must not use the indoor power strip in the outdoors. Indoor power strips cannot withstand things like storms, rains, etc. and can break down.
Thus, never use the power strip for the use that it is not designed for.
5) Keep power strips away from children: Your kids might do some naughty things like putting fingers inside the holes of the power strips, etc. These acts invite electrical disasters, and could prove costly for both, you, and your children.
Explain to the children the dangers of playing with the things like power strip and ensure that you keep it away from them. Be quick to stop children if you notice them playing with the power strips.
6) Never hide your power strip: Many homeowners tend to hide the power strips under the carpet to ensure that their decor doesn’t get degraded at all. Little do they know that this is one of the worse ways to work with a power strip.
No matter if your power strip degrades the look the decor items bring alongside them or not, you must not hide your power strip under the carpet or at any other place.
Thus, the next don’t when you are dealing with the power strips; never hide them.
7) Don’t allow the power strip to come in contact with water: When electricity combines with water, an electrical disaster is bound to take place. Our licensed electrician Toronto team strictly advises you to be watchful of the thing that the water doesn’t come in contact with the power strip at all.
Be watchful of the area where you keep the power strip and ensure that it by no means comes in contact with water at all.
8) Avoid using power strips with kitchen appliances: It’s understandable that having insufficient power outlets in the kitchen is frustrating but using power strips isn’t an ideal solution here.
You must not connect the kitchen appliances like microwave, refrigerator, or anything with the power strips. These appliances demand a lot of electricity and using them with power strips can create an electrical disaster at your home.
Power strips are useful but demand certain care from your side. However, it’s highly recommended to not use the power strips at all. If you use it, make sure that you take enough care that electrical disasters don’t bother you.
Rest, if your electrical system requires any sort of professional attention, you can count on the best electrician Toronto team of the Alkon Electric. Let our team visit you, study your electrical fault, and resolve the same efficiently. To contact our electricians, call us at 416-882-0852.
