According to the USFA, home electrical problems account for 28,600 fires and $1.1 billion in property losses. About 53% of residential electrical fires involve electrical wiring.

December and January are the most dangerous months for electrical fires. Fire deaths are highest in winter months which call for more indoor activities and increases in lighting, heating, and appliance use. The bedroom is the leading area of fire origin for residential building electrical fires. However, electrical fires that begin in the living room/family room/den areas result in the most deaths.

So the question remains, how do we prevent or at minimum reduce electrical fires? Follow these 11 suggestions:

1-Routinely check your electrical appliances and wiring
2-Replace all worn, old or damaged appliance cords immediately
3-Replace any electrical tool if it causes even small electrical shocks, overheats, shorts out, or gives off smoke or sparks
4-Keep electrical appliances away from wet floors and counters; pay special care to electrical appliances in the bathroom and kitchen
5-Buy electrical products evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
6-Keep clothes, curtains, and other potentially combustible items at least three feet from all heaters
7-If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord
8-Don’t allow children to play with or around electrical appliances like space heaters, irons, and hair dryers
9-Use safety closures to “child-proof” electrical outlets
10-Use electrical extension cords wisely; never overload extension cords or wall sockets
11-Immediately shut off, then professionally replace, light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker

Have working smoke alarms throughout your house and remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family.

Don’t let your house become another statistic! Do your part now to protect your family and home.

So what’s the solution? I recommend buying light bulbs that are rated for 130 Volts. They tend to be a little tough to find at times but they do make them. But most of all, I recommend having an energy saving device installed in your home. This device not only saves you money on your electric bill, but it will also protect your home from power surges. Check out a little video about it by clicking here

This is a dangerous problem that needs to be fixed immediately. The frayed wiring can arc and start a fire. Call MC6 Electric at (770) 268-8197 to have us take a look at it immediately and fix the problem before it turns in to a fire.

How about flickering lights when you plug something in or even when you do nothing at all? These are generally problems in your electrical panel or possibly in your meter base. Again, this is a dangerous problem that needs to be fixed immmediately before it turns in to a fire.

Don’t wait, have it looked at today! Tomorrow may be to late.

The danger level of uncovered junction boxes is minimal as long as they are not within reach. A junction box houses the splices where wires are connected to one another, a person could inadvertently damage the wires or get a shock.

So make your home a little safer by spending a little time and a few dollars on covers for your uncovered junction boxes.

Increasing the manufacturer’s bulb wattage creates intense heat that can scorch or melt the socket and insulation on the fixture’s wires, which increases the risk of arcing — sparks that jump through the air from one wire to another — A CHIEF CAUSE OF ELECTRICAL FIRES. The damage to socket and wires remains even after the bulb has been removed.

Make sure each and every bulb in your light fixture’s is at or below the manufacturer’s recommended max wattage. Sticker missing and you don’t know the max wattage? Use a 60 Watt or less bulb.

Keep your family and home safe by ensuring proper bulb wattage throughout your entire home. Don’t forget the bulb’s in your attic and crawl space if you have lights installed there.

Firefighters were called to Harbor Ridge Drive before 11 p.m. after a neighbor walking a dog noticed a fire in the home, said Jennifer Schulz, spokeswoman for the Newport Beach Fire Department.

The neighbor also alerted the residents of the home, who were able to get out of the house without any injuries.

Firefighters arrived to find the fire burning near the rear roof, Schulz said. They battled the blaze from the roof and the inside, getting it under control in about 40 minutes.

“It appears they were doing construction earlier that day,” Schulz said.

Sometime after the construction work was done for the day, the fire is believed to have been ignited by an electrical wire that had been punctured and caused a short circuit.

This was a newspaper article published in The Orange County Register by Salvador Hernandez.

Never underestimate what electricity can do to your home or business! This was just a simple nail that caused so much damage due to a short circuit. What about those light switches and/or receptacles that no longer work? Most people think its no big deal, I will take care of it later. Later may be to late!

When a receptacle, light, light switch or any other electrical device stops working, there IS a reason. That reason could be something simple, or it could be extensive. Either way, it must be addressed immediately. Waiting for later will not cut it.

LATER MAY COST A LOT OF MONEY!!!

Tip 1: Check your A/C air filter. If it looks dirty, replace it. A monthly inspection is recommended.

Tip 2: It seems counterintuitive to use fans while the A/C is on — almost like you’d be using more energy, right? But the fans allow air to circulate, producing a cool breeze. You may be able to raise the temperature on your thermostat a few degrees without noticing any change in your comfort level. Be sure that your fans are rotating in a clockwise direction, which will help push air throughout your home. If you don’t have any ceiling fans, an oscillating fan can help produce a similar effect. Just set up a couple in the areas of your home that get the most use.

Want to save even more on your electric bill? Click HERE!

Is your panel working properly?

Is your electrical panel up to code? Is it on the verge of an electrical fire? Or perhaps you have breakers that continually trip? Have your panel inspected today! Most home owners do not know if their electrical panel was done correctly, by code, from the beginning or not. Have it inspected now, before it becomes a problem. Its better to have it inspected and told that everything is fine than to not have it inspected and your home burns down. MC6 Electric can help you with all of your electrical concerns. We are licensed, local electricians that treat every home as our own. We give you AFFORDABLE electrical work, honesty, integrity, and a job done right the first time.