Tips on How to Stay Electrically Safe During Lockdown

The government’s plea to Stay Alert and Control the Virus has helped stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus and saving lives. As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, businesses, schools, churches have had to close for the time being. People have had to start working, studying and shopping online from home. Most of us have seen an increase of electrical usage at home. Lots of devices are being charged and used, an increased number of lights are being switched on and the fridge is being opened more often. Here are some tips and on how to keep electrically safe during lock down.

Working from Home

While working from home you may have had to set up and plug in a desktop and a printer in one of the rooms in your house. If the devices are installed in front of a wall plug, this is correct. Although, if you’re using your living room, bed or sofa you could pose a serious risk to yourself and the rest of your family. There are a few things you should take into consideration:

• Ensure that extensions cords are used only momentarily for when you use the device. You should unplug it after it’s used and reconnect it when you use it again.
• Laptops shouldn’t be placed on beds or sofas and any flammable surfaces. If they are left for a long period of time they can easily ignite.
• As an alternative to an extension cord use an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) graded surge protector which is fitted with green and red lights.

Increased Usage of Handheld Devices

Many people are using their handheld devices more everyday because we have more time to spend on social media and other features of your device. While also using your handheld devices to communicate with your work colleagues, family and friends. Connecting with different people is more important that ever now because of the lock down rules, whether this is by House Party, Zoom Cloud Meetings or WhatsApp. Therefore, we’re more likely to use our handheld devices more frequently, thus needing to charge the device more. There are some things to remember about charging your device.

• Tablets and smart phones emit heat when connected to a power source, while you’re charging your device they should not be on a bed or any combustible surfaces.
• As many households are always at home now, many devices will be charging at the same time. Ensure that you don’t overload the plug socket and make sure that once the device is fully charged it is unplugged.
• Avoid placing your phone next to your ear while your phone is charging.

Keeping Your Children Entertained

Many people rely on their electrical devices to entertain their children while they’re working from home. However, some children may want to be more adventurous and play outdoors. Whichever your child decides to take into consideration these things.

• Ensure that you have socket covers which covers are all unused electrical sockets. This will avoid your children getting hurt while playing at home.
• Make sure that older children that are watching television, playing on consoles and handheld devices do not overload the sockets in their rooms.

Contact Us

Get in Touch with our professional electricians who will help get your home premises in an organised electrical fashion during lockdown. Call 01283 684064 or use our contact form.