Managing Electrical Appliances During Winter

With a few more months of the cold still left to endure, South Africans are being asked to take extra care when using electrical appliances this winter.

Electrical safety can seem like common sense but many of us, surprisingly, do not follow basic safety guidelines.

“The risk of fire related deaths is highest in winter with an increase of heating, lighting and other electrical appliance usage,” notes Bradley Du Chenne, spokesperson for Dial Direct Insurance.

Paraffin heaters are especially dangerous in that not only are they commonly not watched closely enough, leading to major fires, people are also poisoned by excessive smoke and hydrocarbon inhalation.

It is no surprise, therefore, that the short-term insurance Ombudsman’s consumer tip of the month is to be extremely vigilant about the use of electrical, gas and paraffin appliances in winter.

Dial Direct offers tips for managing electrical appliances, paraffin stoves and gas heaters:

• Ensure that gadgets and appliances, such as TVs and computers, are switched off before going out or going to bed.
• Always switch of an electrical appliance once it is no longer being used.
• Never leave stoves and heaters unattended.
• Regularly check the condition of plugs and electrical sockets around the house. If these are damaged or worn, they can cause electrical shocks and fires. Never remove a plug from the socket by the cable as this can cause wires becoming loose and overheating of the plug.
• Do not overload sockets by plugging in too many appliances into adapter plugs. Instead, have an electrician install additional sockets.
• Purchase products from reputable companies, distributors and retailers. A very cheap product may just be a defective and unsafe one.
• Gas leaks from gas appliances can poison people and cause gas explosions, and it is vital to have adequate ventilation within the home to prevent a build-up of toxic vapours.

“With a great many homes in South Africa containing TVs, DVD players, computers, printers and games consoles, not to mention stoves, microwave, kettles and fridges, the risk of potential electrical accidents is higher than ever before. Homeowners have to take great care.

“Also, power failures pose a threat to electrical safety, and we need to know how to manage these properly.

“When the power fails, turn off all major appliances, leaving only a light switch on to let you know when the power returns at a later stage,” says Du Chenne.

By adhering to these appliance safety tips, you can rest assured that you will be left warm and safe during this fierce winter, while avoiding potential costly insurance claims as a result of negligence.