How Safe Is Your Home for Children and Pets?
Do you know how to protect children and pets from electrical hazards? You may hear stories on the news or read them online about electrical incidents. Children and pets alike can easily fall victim to harmful shocks or even death when colliding with an electrical system. Whether you are expecting, adopting a pet, or having young children, we urge you to pet- and child-proof your electrical system. Exposed wires, loose outlets, and other electrical hazards can prove fatal if not handled correctly.
Five ways to protect children and pets from electrical hazards can include:
- Using outlet covers
- Hiding or taping down wires
- Keeping furniture away from outlets and wires
- Installing smoke detectors
- Replacing old and exposed wires in your home
Speak with your local residential electrician to learn more about how to keep your home safe from electrical hazards. Danny’s Electrical Service, Inc., serves Christiansburg, Blacksburg, and the surrounding areas.
Pet- and Child-Proofing Your Electrical System Is Crucial
As we’ve covered above, pet- and child-proofing your electrical system is crucial. Children and pets alike can fall victim to electrical shocks, both major and minor. Pets can easily chew wires and become gravely injured. If they remain unscathed – great! But now your electrical system needs emergency work.
Think about the current state of your home. Do a walk through and check out your lighting, outlets, and wires. What do you see? If there are uncovered outlets, or exposed wires hanging from a light, know that a call to an electrician is in your future. Protect children and pets from electrical hazards with proper electrical inspections.
Where are the outlets located? If you have outlets behind cribs, beds, or couches, think about where your child spends time. Is it easily accessible for them to simply reach over and touch it? Even on accident, children may stick fingers or objects into electrical outlets without knowing the danger. Be sure to strategically place furniture so that outlets are out of reach.
Find Well-Fitting Outlet Covers
One of the easiest ways to pet- and child-proof your home is using well-fitting outlet covers. You can find outlet covers at hardware stores and some department stores. These items fit safely into the outlets and remain flush to the wall. This makes it next to impossible for young children to pull them out, keeping their fingers safe.
There are different types of outlet covers available. One common one is a cap that simply plugs in to the outlet. When you need to use the outlet, simply unplug the cap. We suggest placing caps in a safe place to avoid choking hazards.
Sliding outlet covers are a more convenient way to cover frequently used outlets. These screw into the plate and automatically cover an outlet after unplugging something. Box outlets are also a great option for large plugs or to keep items plugged in. They cover the outlet and wire, so there’s no access anytime.
Pets Can Chew Wires – Keep Them Protected
Do you have wires laying around your home? Maybe they are tangled behind the TV, or there’s a few stray wires under the computer desk. Whatever the wire mess may be, can your pets access them? Pets, while we can train them not to, can chew on wires and cause themselves great injury. If they don’t sustain any injuries, you now have unusable and unsafe wiring. By taping down the wires, you save your pets from chewing on them and possibly getting tangled up.
Children may also see wires and tug or pull on them. By taping them to the floor or wall, or buying a box for the wires, you eliminate yet another electrical hazard.
Keep Furniture Away from Outlets and Wires
We’ve briefly covered this, but it’s worth mentioning again. Where is your furniture located? Are there outlets or wires in close range? If so, it may be time to rearrange your furniture, or go with our recommendation of outlet covers. If there are open outlets next to cribs, beds, or commonly used furniture, there’s a chance of children touching them. Make sure to keep these outlets covered or consider moving to an area far from electrical items.
Install Smoke Detectors for Added Protection
A tried-and-true way to protect your children and pets is with smoke detectors. You may think, how will this protect my children or pets from electrical hazards? Well, one of the largest electrical hazards are fires. Having smoke detectors throughout the home can help to alert you in times of crisis. The residential electrician of Danny’s Electrical Service, Inc., can install or check existing smoke detectors.
Replace Exposed Wires in Your Home
Are there exposed wires hanging around your home? You may think your child or pet will ignore it, but you can’t be sure. Do not take that risk – cover the wires! Exposed wires can shock those who touch it. Pets may chew on these wires, or children could stick them in their mouth, resulting in worse results.
If possible, cap the wires if they are no longer in use. Make a call to your local residential electrician to safely remove the wires. While they are at your home, see if they can double check any other wires that are easy to grab.
Danny’s Helps to Protect Children and Pets from Electrical Hazards
Danny’s Electrical Service, Inc., offers safety evaluations to local homes to keep them safe. Are you working to protect children and pets from electrical hazards? These electrical hazards may hide themselves within your home. Do not let your children or pets be the ones to find them – call a residential electrician right away. You may have as simple of a problem as buying outlet covers, or your whole home may need new wiring. The right residential electrician will know what to do to make your home safer.
When you need a trustworthy, experienced electrical contractor at your New River Valley home or business, call Danny’s Electrical Service, Inc., at (540) 998-5750. For updates and much more, like us on Facebook! Danny’s Electrical Service, Inc., offers five ways to protect children and pets from electrical hazards.