Can your home pass the test?

One of the most preventable fires is an electrical one caused by defective wires or outlets. How would your home score on this quiz?

Question 1: Do any cords on appliances, lamps or tools look frayed or crimped?

Question 2: Are any cords hidden under rugs, where they can overheat or get damaged when people walk on them?

Question 3: Are you using extension cords as a permanent solution to a cord that’s too far from a plug? Extension cords are designed for temporary, not permanent, use.

Question 4: How many appliances are plugged into a power strip that is plugged into a single outlet? Do any of your home’s outlets support two power strips? An overloaded outlet can lead to an overloaded circuit.

Question 5: When is the last time you tested your GFCI outlets in the bathrooms, kitchen, laundry room and outdoors? To test them, push the “test” and “reset” buttons on the outlet.

Question 6: How close are appliances to heating vents, the stove, the oven or another heat source? An overheated appliance could catch on fire and will work inefficiently.

Question 7: Are the batteries in your smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector fresh? Change them twice a year when you set the clocks forward or back as the seasons change.

How did you do? Help prevent fires by addressing defective wires or outlets in your home.