Electrical fires account for 20% of all fires in Canada, here is how to stop them
The Dangers Of Electrical Fires
They say where there’s smoke there’s fire. But when it comes to electrical fires, you don’t always see the smoke. And by the time you do it’s too late. The flames are climbing up behind your walls.
20 percent of all fires in Canada are due to electrical fires. That’s a lot – too much, because there shouldn’t be any electrical fires. They’re preventable if the right pros are brought in at the right time.
Faulty wiring is the number one cause of electrical fires. Sometimes fires happen because of poor workmanship. Other times it’s just wear and tear. But you need to know the warning signs.
“20 percent of all fires in Canada are due to electrical fires.”
Fire Safety – Electrical Fire Warning Signs
What are they? Flickering lights; breakers that always trip; fuses that always blow; faulty extension cords; old space heaters; appliances that have a burning smell when they’re on, including the lights in a room; discoloured wall outlets; electrical outlets that spark; faulty electrical appliances; outlets and light switches that are hot when you touch them. They’re all signs that tell you something is wrong with the electrical system in your home. The longer you wait to get it fixed, the greater the risk for your home to catch fire from an electrical fire.
Eventually every home is at risk of an electrical fire because electrical wires get worn out—just like everything else.
Electrical currents generate waste heat. And over time that heat can cause the conductor to expand and contract. Eventually it will loosen the connection. And once it’s loose the electricity can arc. When this happens the potential for an electrical fire is huge.
How To Protect Yourself From House Fires Caused By Electricity
One way we can prevent electrical fires caused by an electrical arc is with Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI). An AFCI is a circuit breaker that detects potentially dangerous electrical arcs. It disconnects the power as soon as it detects one.
“Faulty wiring is the number one cause of electrical fires. Sometimes fires happen because of poor workmanship. Other times it’s just wear and tear. But you need to know the warning signs.”
Before AFCI’s were introduced the bedroom was where most electrical fires started. Now, the kitchen and bathroom are where most electrical fires start.
It’s code to have AFCI’s in the bedroom. If you really want to protect your home, replace your existing outlets with AFCI’s, the costs are minimal, and it’s a job your electrician can do quickly, It’s a no brainer.
Counterfeit electrical products can also cause electrical fires. But it’s hard to prove it because most fires destroy the evidence – along with everything else. Plus, some counterfeit products are so good the average homeowner would never suspect they aren’t legitimate/CSA approved. The only way to know that it’s counterfeit would be by sending it to a lab to test it out. And how many homeowners do that?
Overloaded circuits are also a risk like here with this spaghetti wiring. But the risk is less when a 15-amp breaker or fuse protects the circuit.
If It’s Broke, Fix It & Fix It Right
The problem is when an overloaded circuit starts to trip. Homeowners go in and replace a 15-amp fuse with something higher, like a 20-amp or 30-amp fuse. But this doesn’t fix the problem. The circuit still wants to trip. The wire is telling the fuse that it’s too hot. But the fuse says, ‘I’m still good.’ Before you know it the wire becomes your fuse and you’ve got a fire.
Whenever anyone purchases a home over 15 years old, they need to get a licensed electrical contractor to check out the house—especially if the older home has a finished basement. Too many homeowners think they can do their own electrical work. And too many of them do. How do you know if everything is up to code? If there’s knob and tube wiring? Or aluminum wiring mixed with copper? Or if the last owners hired someone who knew what they were doing?
Get Yourself A Surge Protector
Protect yourself from electrical hazards such as a large electrical surge entering your house and destroying all your electronics. Having a whole home surge protector will help reduce electrical fluctuations that happen on your circuits and prevent these electrical surges from entering your house to begin with.
All you do is connect your surge protector to your electrical breaker box, and in doing so will protect your box and your electronic devices safe from being damaged by a surge or electrical strike.
Get yourself a surge protector because it’s always better to prevent the surge damage from occurring than it is to replace everything.
Be Smart & Hire A Professional
Get a licensed electrical contractor to come in to do an audit of the entire house. They’ll make sure all the electrical work is up to code and that all the connections are tight.
How do you find the right electrician? The same way you find the right contractor. You check references, speak to past clients, and check reputable review sites like Homestars. Make sure your electrician is licensed and insured . Ask them to show you their license. And never choose based on price alone. Be careful of ‘free’ inspections as nothing is ever free. You get what you pay for, every time—no exception.
Electrical work is something that you should never attempt on your own. Google and You Tube are full of videos that show you how to do your own repairs, but if you have not been formally trained in electrical repairs, you should have this work done by trained professionals. If you are unfortunate enough to experience a home fire caused by faulty wiring your insurance company could deny your insurance claim if the wire was the result of an improperly done job that was not done to code.
REMEMBER
It’s always good to have a fire extinguisher in your home. Electrical fires are known as Class C fires, and so requires a Class C fire extinguisher.
How often should we get a licensed electrical contractor to check our homes? Once a year for homes older than 15 years and every 4 years on homes less than 15 years old, because given enough time, any home can be at risk of an electrical fire—wire insulation dries out, receptacles and switches can come loose, oil and dirt can cause electrical parts to overheat. Don’t wait for disaster to strike. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Tron Electrical can assist you with all your home electrical needs (647) 545-8766 or email: [email protected]