Home Electrical Safety Checklist

According to research by the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), electrical distribution or lighting equipment, including wiring, lighting, cords, and plugs, was responsible for igniting an estimated average of 31,647 reported home structure fires annually between 2019 and 2023. These fires resulted in an estimated average of 425 civilian fatalities, 1,279 civilian injuries, and $1.6 billion in direct property damage each year. Additionally, over 30,000 non-fatal electric shock incidents are reported annually. By taking a few precautions, the risk of electrical home damage can be significantly reduced, ensuring the safety of your family and protection of your property.

General Home Electrical Safety Tips

Indoor Home Electrical Tips

In this era of home DIY projects, resist the urge to undertake electrical work on your own. Even if tasks like replacing power outlets or switches appear straightforward, engaging a licensed electrician is the smartest thing to do. It's also important to get household wiring checked by a registered electrician, especially if your house is more than 30 years old.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission also recommends inspecting electrical products in your home every six months, checking for electrical device recalls, (opens in a new window) and identifying and following up on all safety concerns. Use this general checklist for all indoor areas of your home to ensure proper electrical safety and fire prevention.

Indoor Home Electrical Safety Checklist

• Unplug all small appliances that are not being used, such as toasters, air fryers, coffee pots, toaster ovens, portable heaters, hair dryers and curling irons, and electric razors.
• Keep electrical cords and appliances away from heat and water sources.
• Make sure all electric appliances that must be located near water are plugged into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI).
• Discard and replace any appliance or power cord with damaged wiring or parts or those that emit smoke, sparks, or abnormal noises.
• Call a professional electrician immediately anytime you experience an electric shock from any appliance. Do not touch the appliance again and turn the power off to the appliance at the circuit breaker.
• Always purchase only UL-Listed products and follow all manufacturer's instructions for appliances, including home heating appliances. 
• Use grounded 3-prong adapters to attach power cords with 3-prong plugs to older 2-prong outlets.
•  All cord-connected power tools should be marked to indicate they are double insulated or should be equipped with 3-prong plugs.
• Practice safety with all lithium battery-run devices in your home.
  
• Do not fold or tuck in an electric blanket or allow anything to cover an electric blanket when in use.
• Use the appropriate wattage bulb for all light fixtures, including lamps and ceiling fans.
• Remove a plug from a power point by pulling on the plug directly instead of the cord.
• Insert safety plugs into unused power plugs to stop children from inserting objects into them.
• Keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher available in the house.
• Keep electrical cords away from doors, windows, and furniture and avoid pinching.
• Check dimming and flickering of lights - this happens for a reason, such as overloaded circuits, loose connections, or aging light fixtures.
• Investigate warm outlets and plugs, and any buzzing, crackling sounds and burning smells from outlets.

Outdoor Home Electrical Tips

Use this general checklist for all outside areas of your home to ensure proper electrical safety and fire prevention. It's worth noting that few outdoor corded devices, even submersible pumps, are safety-tested for use with people in the water.

Outdoor Home Electrical Safety Checklist

• Have weatherproof covers installed on outdoor outlets and keep them closed when they are not being used. 
• If outlets must be used in wet weather, install a “weatherproof while in use” cover.
• Have GFCIs installed or plug in a portable GFCI when you use outdoor outlets.
• Use battery-powered tools whenever possible.
• Discard and replace any outdoor power tool or power cord with damaged wiring or parts or those that emit smoke, sparks, or abnormal noises.
• Refrain from using corded tools in moist or wet environments. If a tool becomes wet, ensure it is unplugged before handling. Allow it to dry completely. If the tool was submerged, have it inspected at a certified repair center before attempting to use it again.
• Always use extension cords marked specifically for outdoor use with 3-prong extension cords with proper grounding.
• Make sure all electrical equipment stays dry, especially those around pools or hot tubs.  Plug power cords only into working GFCI outlets.
• Use a ladder that does not conduct electricity, such as wood or fiberglass with non-conductive side rails and rubber feet when working near overhead wires to do maintenance to your home such as cleaning gutters or trimming trees.
• Wear rubber or plastic-soled shoes when using electrical appliances, especially in wet areas.
• When installing a new pool, hot tub, or spa, ensure that the wiring is completed by an electrician who is knowledgeable about the specific safety standards required for these installations.
• Avoid all swimming near marinas, docks, and boatyards.
• If you own a boat dock, be sure the electrical system complies with the National Electrical Code (NEC) and specific requirements for marinas and docks that are required in your Virginia locale.

Home Circuit Breaker Box Safety Tips

Just like all home systems, your electrical system requires regular maintenance and basic understanding. It's important to familiarize yourself with how to find and safely turn off your home's power main in the event of an emergency. Also, fuses in your home's circuit breaker must be appropriately sized for the circuit. An incorrect fuse size can permit excessive current flow, leading to overheating of the wiring and posing a home fire risk.

How to Maintain Your Home's Circuit Breaker

Circuit breakers must be exercised periodically to make sure they have not become stuck and to keep them in good working order. At least once a year circuit breakers should be turned on and off. Home appliances with compressor motors, such as refrigerators, can be damaged by repeated power interruptions if you don’t turn them off beforehand. 

How to safely exercise your home's circuit breaker box

Take these steps periodically to safely exercise your circuit breaker box:

1. Turn off all large appliances including a freezer, refrigerator, and air conditioner.  
2. Turn off expensive electronics.
3. Flip each circuit breaker on and off.
4. Repeat 2 times. 

How to maintain Home Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) Breakers and Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)

GFCIs are specialized circuit breakers to prevent electric shock near water sources and must function correctly to prevent electrocution. AFCIs are specialized circuit breakers designed to detect electrical arcing that can occur if a wire or connection is compromised. Without an AFCI, such arcing might lead to unnoticed overheating and potentially ignite a fire. Both GFCIs and AFCIs can fail without visible signs, so conducting regular tests to identify a malfunctioning AFCI could be life-saving.

How to Test Home GFCIs and AFCIs

Test all your home's GFCIs and AFCIs monthly using the following steps:

1.  Push the test button. The breaker handle should go to the middle or off position. 
2. To reset, move the breaker handle to the off position and then to the on position. 
3. A defective GFCI circuit breaker or AFCI circuit breaker should be replaced by a qualified electrician immediately.  

Does Home Insurance Cover Electrical Damage?

Homeowners insurance can cover sudden and accidental electrical damage due to a covered peril, such as a lightning strike or an unexpected power surge, or fire damage caused by faulty wiring, overloaded circuits, or similar electrical issues, as long as negligence is not a factor and your home's electrical system has been maintained. Electrical systems require regular upkeep just like other home systems and must be updated as needed. Homeowners are responsible for the maintenance of their home systems, and it is crucial to address any normal deterioration or amateur DIY projects involving your home's electrical system with the assistance of an electrical contractor before significant issues develop.

There may be additional add-on coverages that can protect your home specifically from electrical problems above and beyond your standard home insurance policy such as Equipment Breakdown Coverage or Service Line Coverage. These endorsements are typically purchased separately and added to your existing policy.

Consider a Home Electrical Fire Sensor App

Today's homes are smarter than ever, employing smart sensors that can send alerts to your phone for water leaks or potential electrical hazards the same way a smoke detector can alert you of a home fire. This type of monitoring may become more and more important to Virginian homeowners as data centers find the commonwealth as an appealing location for innovation. The potential for this growing load required of utilities could give communities more need to track the same problematic power surges usually associated with severe weather. 

For a small annual fee, smart electrical sensors can track precursors to electrical fires, like micro-arcs and sparks, using advanced machine learning technology. The sensors thereby pinpoint electrical hazards, such as faulty wiring or loose connections. Once a hazard is detected, a real-time alert is sent to the homeowner via an app before they can cause a home fire. 

Sources:

https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/home-fire-safety/electrical-safety-in-the-home

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/statistics/states/virginia

https://www.vafire.com/fire-and-data-statistics

https://www.cpsc.gov/

https://www.esfi.org/electric-vehicle-charging-safety/