With Winter comes a real risk of electrical fires and shock, take a quick minute to read through our handy electrical safety tips for Winter in Brisbane.
- Heating
- Electric Blankets
- Electric and Oil Heaters
- Bathroom heat/fan/light combinations
- Dryers
- Smoke alarms
- Safety switches
Heating:
Did you know that a modern air conditioner is the most economical way to heat your home in Brisbane?
Air conditioners use modern technology to heat the area in a cost-effective manner. The old electric/oil heaters use electricity directly to heat the space, it is like turning on your oven and leaving the door open to heat your kitchen. Before using your air conditioner in winter, you should carry out some simple checks:
- Check internal head unit filters are clean
- Check internal head unit for mould and dust build up
- Check outdoor unit is clear from debris
Electric Blankets:
Electric blankets can definitely make your bed toasty warm; however, they do pose a danger of electric shock or fire if they are not in great condition.
Make sure you use the following checklist to reduce your risks:
- Always roll your electric blanket – do not fold
- Check cords for damage
- Check plugs for damage
- Check switches for damage
- Check blanket for damage
- Turn off when not attended or when you go to sleep
- Plug directly into the power point – do not use power boards
Electric and oil heaters:
Electric heaters would be one of the most dangerous appliances in the home, they usually consist of a heating bar which gets extremely hot.
They can use up to 2400W of power when turned on making them one of the most uneconomical heating sources. If you are going to use an electric/oil heater we recommend you check the following to reduce the risk of fire:
- Check heater for damage
- Check cords and plugs for damage
- Plug appliance directly into power point – do not use power boards or extension leads
- Do not hang anything on or near the heater
- Do not leave unattended
Bathroom heat/fan/light combinations:
Over the years we have seen many of these catch on fire, this is usually caused by a build up of dust inside the unit. This combined with the heat from the heat lamps can cause a fire which can spread quickly into the roof cavity.
We recommend that these are checked regularly for dust and damage. Quick guide to checking your bathroom fan/heat/light:
- Turn off power to unit at switchboard
- Remove lamps and cover
- Clean lamps and cover with damp cloth and allow to dry
- Using a soft brush and vacuum clean in and around lamp holders and fan
- Check for any damage or signs of heat
- Re assemble unit
Dryers:
In these colder months you may need to use your dryer more regularly, dryers are a very convenient way to dry your clothes when it’s cold and wet.
However, they do use considerable amounts of energy to dry your clothes. They also collect lint from the clothing in a filter, if this filter gets blocked the dryer can overheat and start a fire. We recommend checking the lint filter after every use. Simply remove it and brush it off with a soft brush.
Smoke Alarms:
Smoke alarms are your last line of defence when a fire breaks out!
Smoke alarm regulations have changed and you may not have the correct type of smoke alarms or enough smoke alarms to protect your family. Follow this simple check list to make sure your alarms are operating correctly.
- Check unit for signs of damage
- Check that the smoke alarm is photo-electric type
- Check expiry or installation date (smoke alarms only have a 10 year life)
- Check correct location of alarms
- Test alarm using the test function
- Check that all alarms are interlinked
For more information on smoke alarms please check our website:
Safety Switches:
Safety switches keep your family safe – is yours working!
Safety switches are one of the single most important safety devices in your home electrical system. They cut power off in a blink of an eye when there is a power leakage of more than 30mA. You should have safety switches on all circuits in your home. Testing your safety switch regularly is important to ensure that it will operate when you need it. To test your safety switch just press the test button and then reset the circuit. For more information about safety switches, how they works and what’s required visit our Safety Switch Page.
Want an electrical safety check? We offer a Home Essentials Pack for just $199 find out more here.
