Thanksgiving is coming up fast and Oak Electric Service would like to take a moment to thank all of our loyal customers for your patronage over the years.
Many of us will be spending more time in the kitchen preparing a great holiday feast for family and friends. But did you know that Thanksgiving is the part of the house where two-thirds of all home fires start?
With all of the activity ahead, here are some basic, common-sense reminders to ensure that you enjoy a safe Thanksgiving at your home:
- Ideally, you should have GFCI-protected outlets near kitchen and bathroom sinks to reduce the risk of electric shock when plugging in small appliances. Test the GFCI receptacles monthly.
- Make sure that all countertop appliances are unplugged when not in use and located away from the sink. Unattended appliances may cause an unnecessary risk of fire in your home.
- Dry your hands before using any countertop electrical equipment or using switches. A mix of water, wiring and electricity can be very dangerous. Keep a towel nearby when working in the kitchen to prevent water on your skin from coming in contact with anything that could potentially shock you.
- Even a slight shock from a major appliance can indicate an extremely hazardous wiring condition. Turn the power to the appliance off at the circuit breaker. Do not touch the appliance until it has been checked by a licensed, qualified electrician.
- Don’t use extension cords on a permanent basis for counter top appliances. It is extremely important to have all appliances plugged directly into grounded receptacles.
- Do not plug more than one appliance into the same plug or circuit. This can overload the outlet, the wiring, and the circuit breaker. You should have a sufficient amount of outlets in your kitchen for the number of appliances.
- Keep appliance cords away from hot surfaces like the range or toaster.
- Always use the correct size light bulb for your fixtures. Using an oversized light bulb can cause the light socket and wiring to overheat and burn.
- Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
Oak Electric Service is one of southeast Michigan’s leading electrical contractors. Give us a call at (800) 964-7070. We are standing by to answer all of your residential and commercial electrical questions. We will always personally answer your phone call – you will never reach an answering service! Be sure to ask about our “Free Electrical Safety Inspection.” We invite you to visit our website at www.oakelectric.com to learn more about us.
