Keep Kids Safe — Teach Electrical Precautions

When your kids are using electricity every day, they’re not too young to learn about safety. Being properly informed will help them avoid injuries and prevent accidents not just now, but well into the future. To get started, here are some good electrical precautions you can share with them:

• Avoid overloading outlets and extension cords. Otherwise, the total electrical load exceeds the capacity of the outlet or the cord, causing it to heat up and start a fire. But even if overloading doesn’t start a fire, it can still damage your home’s electrical system.
• Tuck away electrical cords. This practice is especially important when you have pets who love to chew on wires. But if you don’t have pets, it’s still best to keep wires tidy to stop kids from tripping over them.
• Pull the plug, not the cord. Unplugging appliances not in use saves energy, but yanking on the cord causes damage to the cord itself, the plug, or the socket. Over time, this bad habit may tear the outer layer of the cord, exposing live wire underneath.
• Keep anything electrical away from the water. Plenty of household accidents involving electricity happen near water. For good measure, don’t bring anything electrical in the bathroom.
• Refrain from playing near power lines and substations. Kites can get entangled around the lines, sending back a current of electricity to the ground. Meanwhile, balls can get inside the fence, causing kids to be tempted to climb over it.
• Seek the help of an adult for help. As a parent, make yourself available when your kids need help. If you’re away or busy, teach them to wait until you can address their concern.

These electrical precautions are simple enough for kids to remember, but important enough to keep them safe. However, the best security you can give them is preventive maintenance for your electricity-dependent systems, such as AC and heating. For this, trust only the experts such as our certified technicians at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions. Call us at 407-275-0705 for all your HVAC needs.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about electrical safety and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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