How to maintain electrical safety at Christmas
Ahrns Electrical offers tree-mendous advice to keep Christmas not only bright but also safe and merry this festive season.
This sponsored story is brought to you by Ahrns Electrical.
The festive season has officially arrived and so have the colourful bright decorations that glitter around the home.
Much like a great Christmas lunch with family and friends, the key to a safe electrical outlet is the connection.
And Ahrns Electrical’s Tristan Ahrns, knows a whole watt about electrical safety during December.
“If you’ve got a loose connection and it’s plugged in all night, that’s going to get hotter as the night goes on and could potentially cause a fire or trip out the house," Tristan says.
Lot's of us would be guilty of blowing off the dirt covered box of cords and lights come December 1, which may look fine but could be more damaged then what appears at first glance.
“If extension cords are old, have been wrapped up heaps of times, and are foiled up, looking like a pig tail, the cabling inside could actually be broken," Tristan says.
“This then causes arcing and essentially can lead to the start of a fire.”
If you’re looking to light up the outside of the house, be aware of sharp surfaces and gutters that could potentially damage any cords.
“As soon as you see any damage on cords and plugs, replace it, especially if you’re seeing the coloured cords beneath," he says.
What about those overloaded power boards?
There’s a lot of recommendations about not plugging in heaps of electrical items into the power boards, but at this time of the year it’s a must for Christmas enthusiast.
“It’s okay to do, as long everything is in good condition and plugged in correctly," Tristan says.
“Prior to using power boards, check they’re in good condition.”
When not to use a power board:
- If the plug is loose
- Melted spots/damage
- In wet/damp areas
- Under carpets/rugs
Most importantly don’t cheap out; “A lot of people plug their Christmas lights into boards that aren’t rated to be running heaps far with multiple items plugged into them," Tristan says.
This means they tend to wear out and even melt quicker - try getting a trade quality board that can safely with handle the power.
“The main risk is wearing out if they’re bad quality, causing it to heat up quicker.”
The after care of cords is another important aspect of electrical safety, once all the Christmas festivities have dwindled.
Try this when you're wrapping up for the season:
- Wrap cables up neatly, like a garden hose and secure with a velcro tie
- Put power boards in dust proof containers
- Wrap lights up to avoid entanglement
Or even better invest in outside power points that can withstand the elements.
“Instead of trying to run lights off of one power point and 400 extension cords… try invest in outside power points,” Tristan suggests.
“Set it up so it’s reliable and ready for you… you can get timers put on as well.”
Merry Christmas from the Ahrns family to yours
"We've had a massive year and want to thank the community and our clients for being so supportive," Tristan says.
"We want everyone to have a safe break, if you do get one."
Although the company will have skeleton crew on they'll also be having a break over Christmas, returning to usual programming come January 5.
"If someone has an emergency or get stuck, they can ring our emergency line, press two and we'll try our best to talk through any issues," Tristan says.
"I'm more than happy to help."
- Contact Ahrns Electrical: Call 0423 197 608 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
- More information: Visit ahrnselectrical.com.au or follow Ahrns Electrical on Facebook or Instagram.
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Peri Strathearn
