Electrical accidents and fires cause millions of dollars in damages every year. The tragedy is that many of these could have been avoided by simple maintenance repairs.
“To protect homeowners, organizations such as the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) provide and continually update electrical standards for homes just like yours. These are standards that organizations like the NFPA and Milestone Electric recommend to protect you, your home and your family from fire and electrical shock…”
“With homeowner education, improved safety standards and programs like the Milestone Electric Family Protection Plan, homes are being protected and lives are being saved. I urge you to consider this. Many fires and electrical deaths are caused by factors that could have been avoided with regular maintenance.”
- Vernon T. Houchin, Retired Captain of the St. Louis Fire Department
Facts and Figures
- Forty-one percent of home electrical failure fires involved electrical distribution or lighting equipment in 2003-2007.
- In 2003-2007, 53% of electrical failure home fires involved other known type of equipment. The leading other known type of equipment involved in home electrical failure fires are range, washer or dryer, and fans.
- U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 25,200 reported U.S. non-confined home structure fires involving electrical distribution or lighting equipment in 2007. These fires resulted in 270 civilian fire deaths, 1,050 civilian fire injuries, and $663 million in direct property damage.
- Some type of electrical failure or malfunction was cited as factor contributing to ignition for 72% of electrical distribution or lighting equipment home structure fires.
- In 2007, an estimated 51,800 home structure fires reported to U.S. fire departments involved some type of electrical failure or malfunction as a factor contributing to ignition. These fires resulted in 451 civilian deaths, 1,641 civilian injuries, and $1.2 billion in direct property damage.
Safety tips Provided By The NFPA.
- Replace or repair damaged or loose electrical cords.
- Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under carpets.
- In homes with small children, make sure your home has tamper-resistant (TR) receptacles.
- Consider having additional circuits or outlets added by a qualified Milestone Electric electrician so you do not have to use extension cords.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for plugging an appliance into a receptacle outlet.
- Avoid overloading outlets. Plug only one high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet at a time.
- If outlets or switches feel warm, frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuits, or flickering or dimming lights, call a qualified electrician.
- Place lamps on level surfaces, away from things that can burn and use bulbs that match the lamp’s recommended wattage.
- Make sure your home has ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in the kitchen bathroom(s), laundry, basement, and outdoor areas.
- Arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) should be installed in your home to protect electrical outlets.
If you have additional concerns or you would like a certified electrician to complete a 33 point electrical inspection Please contact Milestone Electric.
