Electricity is everywhere in the home nowadays. With modern technology, you will find something electrical in every corner of your home. Unfortunately, most electrical appliances are not designed with the child’s safety in mind. This means you must ensure that your child doesn’t end up getting seriously injured because of an electrical accident.
Electricity use in the home is unavoidable. Statistics show that the average U.S. electricity retail price peaked at 10.6 U.S. cents per kilowatt-hour in 2019. In this article, we look at ways you can child proof electricity in your home.
Use Electrical Cover Outlets
According to reports, each day, seven children are admitted into America’s emergency rooms due to electrical accidents. One way to prevent this is to use electrical outlet covers. These are essentially guards that make outlets inaccessible to children’s small hands. Most local electrical contractors recommend plastic outlet covers. They are easy to install and relatively cheap. You can also use self-closing outlet covers.
Using Cable Protectors
Children, especially babies, will try to bend, bite or chew cords. Apart from protecting electrical cables, cable protectors also cover already damaged areas. This ensures that kids won’t end up coming into contact with live electrical wires. You can ask your local electrical contractors about the best cable cover to use.
Avoid Long Cords
Children have a tendency to disappear when you least expect it. Long cords are easily accessible and fit perfectly in their tiny hands. These cables carry a high risk of strangulation. They can also be tugged on and drop gadgets from high points. You must never leave long wires exposed in the house. Instead, tape them down or cover them with carpets.
Bundle Up Your Cords
There are areas in the house with multiple cords, such as the computer or media center. Bundle multiple cables using cord sleeves. This will make them less attractive and accessible to young children.
Using Tamper Resistant Receptacle
The vertical slots on the receptacle are filled with spring-loaded shutters that close off the opening to the contacts. The shutters open only when they are pressed simultaneously, like when plugging an appliance into the outlet. Children, especially babies, cannot press both openings at once, so they will not be able to poke their fingers into the socket. These types of receptacles are actually a code requirement now and an upgrade that contractors can easily provide for families in need of them. They eliminate the need for plastic outlet covers, meaning you never have to panic about remembering to cover the outlet. If you don’t know where to find these, talk to your local electrical contractors. They will be happy to make your home safer for your young one.
Child proofing the electricity in your home is a task that should never be overlooked. Electricity is hazardous, and you must make sure that your child is safe at all times. Consider hiring a professional electrical service company like ours to do this type of job.
