Electrical maintenance is essential in the kitchen because of the numerous appliances used there, from electric kettles to ovens, microwaves, coffee makers, refrigerators, and food blenders. If not correctly taken care of, these appliances may start electric fires, which could cause damage to your house and belongings and possible fatality.
Therefore, you must handle them appropriately and conduct inspections regularly on the appliances and electric circuits powering them. Doing so also helps ensure the machines are in good shape and durable.
With that in mind, below are some electrical maintenance tips for your kitchen:
1. Change Old And Damaged Wiring
Electrical wires are always bound to wear out with time. Mechanical abrasion and chemical corrosion can destroy the insulation material and expose the metallic cores of the cables. Thus, it’s best to constantly check the electric wires to see if there are any faults in them.
Firstly, check for any presence of stains or burnt marks, and have them fixed and replaced with new parts. Secondly, look out for any visible wires from your electrical cords and change them because they pose a lot of danger. For instance, they could quickly come into contact with water and cause short-circuiting, destroying all connected appliances. Touching live wires could also cause electric shocks and electrocution in worst-case scenarios.
Lastly, if you also notice that most of your fuses blow up frequently, the problem could be in the wiring system, wherein a particular circuit draws more current than its capacity allows. All of these problems can cause catastrophic damage to your home and family. Therefore, you may want to call an electrician in the Chelsea Area to inspect your electric systems. And once they identify the problem, they can install a new electrical system, so your kitchen runs effectively with high-quality electrical cables.
2. Don’t Overload Outlets
It’s best to plug in only one kitchen appliance to a specific outlet because of the large currents they draw. Combining the fridge, microwave, and electric kettle on one outlet is a recipe for disaster. The appliances will likely draw more current through the circuit beyond the design capacity and blow the fuses. The connecting cables and the appliance circuitry can also get damaged, making the gadgets non-functional, meaning you’ll have to replace them. Thus, it’d help if you didn’t overload your outlets. If your kitchen was designed with just one outlet, it’d be prudent to call an electrician to fix more wall electricity points.
On the same note, you can purchase a surge protector if you have multiple electrical kitchen appliances. It helps protect the appliances and wiring from damage in current overdraws.
3. Position Appliances Away From Water Sources
Water and electricity shouldn’t come into contact with each other. Water is a good conductor of electric currents and can damage most electrical appliances and cause electrocution. Thus, you can tell your contractor to place the sinks away from electrical outlets. Also, exercise caution when preparing food, washing the dishes, or cleaning the kitchen to ensure you don’t pour water on electrical outlets or cables.
4. Switch Off Appliances When Not In Use
After using your kettle, oven, or blender, ensure you turn them off to prevent overheating or filling up the house with gas. Appliances left on in idle mode still consume electric power, increasing your bills significantly. So, ensure you turn them off after use. It can also help in ensuring the durability of the appliances.
5. Exercise Caution With Plugs And Extension Cables
Some electrical appliances’ cords may need to be fixed on specific kitchen outlets. Never force a plug if it doesn’t fit; instead, you can add additional sockets or extensions in your house matching the plug’s design.
If you’re using electrical extension cords, it’s advisable to choose premium-quality ones. Also, lay them out strategically to avoid accidentally stepping on them. If the indicator lights on the extension cords flicker or become dim, it may be a sign of overloading. Unplug other appliances immediately before the current overdraws blow up the appliances.
The appliance cords should also be placed in open areas around the kitchen to make them visible so that you don’t accidentally put hot things or water onto them. They shouldn’t be under kitchen towels, carpets, windows, or doors because there can be a trip, and fire could quickly erupt.
6. Unplug Appliances When Cleaning
Before you clean the appliances, ensure you unplug them from the socket. They may get damaged from contact with water. Cleaning helps rid the machines of grease and oils, making fires easier to erupt in the kitchen. Also, clean up debris beneath the ovens and the refrigerator.
Conclusion
If not maintained well, kitchen electrical appliances pose a significant danger to the house because you can lose everything in a fire, and if it’s worse, it could result in death. Therefore, regular maintenance of the appliances and electrical systems is necessary. Check for any damaged parts and replace them immediately. Also, when you smell any burns, check to see their origin. It’ll help prevent a minor problem before it becomes a disaster.