Think about how much technology you have plugged in right now
We have just had the biggest wake up call here at Sheridan Insurances. I have noticed recently that electrical fires are increasing each year and why wouldn’t they? We are obsessed with our phone, i-pad or tablet. Many of us are guilty of being addicted to our gadgets and in some cases they are plugged in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The reason electrical fires are increasing is because we are becoming more consumer focused. We own a lot more technology nowadays of course this increases the fire risk. Some houses could have 2-7 smart phones, laptops, wifi, hair straightener, hairdryer, slow cooker, smart watch, tablets etc. plugged in at one time.
We want to raise awareness about electrical fires in the home because we want to keep you and your family safe. The Grenfell Tower fire tragedy is a stark reminder that we need to be more aware when it come to fire safety. If you happened to wake up to a fire in your home in the middle of the night, would you be able to get out? Would you be able to get the rest of your family out?
Items you could have plugged in too long
We know that you need to have some appliances plugged in 24/7 such as the fridge etc. but there are some that don’t need to be plugged in all day. Take a look at our list.
- Wifi modem – usually plugged in 24/7 and the the charger could be over 5 years old. It could be past it’s sell by date.
- Phone charger – there could be at least 2-7 smartphone chargers plugged in overnight and throughout the day.
- Tablets – Watching your favourite series onlines needs a lot of battery. The charge can get really hot.
- Hairdryers & hair straightener – please read scenario below.
- TV – this can be plugged in all night, every night for 5 years or more!
- Tumble dryer – do you turn this on when you are going to bed or leaving the house?
Scenario example
You are fixing your hair before you go out for dinner and you plug in the hair straightener to begin straightening your hair. The hair straightener doesn’t appear to be working so you throw it on your bed and leave it plugged in while you are out of the house. Little did you know the electricity company had turned off the electricity and then turned it back on. Your hair straightener is now switched on and lying on your duvet cover. Your duvet and bed catch fire and the fire spreads throughout the house.
This scenario happens more than you think!
We all think “It will never happen to me”, but it does happen. Please spend just 5-10 minutes today and think of how you can prevent a fire in your home and your escape plans. Little things can make all the difference. Always keep fire safety in the back of your mind and try to condition yourself to think, “is that safe?” before you leave a room.
My top recommendations are:
- If it is not in use, plug it out
- Switch off all plugs overnight bar those that must stay on
- Don’t overload sockets
- Purchase a fire extinguisher or 2 – put them in different areas of the home
- Plan you escape
- Check the quality of your technology and their chargers regularly
- If in doubt, throw it out
Check out this video from The Mirror UK. It shows you how quickly a phone charger fire can spread. Watch it here.