We use some products around the house regularly and don’t give them much attention. These objects must be carefully chosen because they are nothing short of a death trap.
Power strips are one of the objects we must be most cautious with. Although handy, they provide a variety of concerns, and if overloaded, they can fail and even catch fire.
Before you start plugging things into a power strip, think about how much electricity they can handle. This information is printed on the power cord. There are however some items that should never be connected to a power strip since they might cause major problems.
If you examine your power strips and discover that they are overloaded, disconnect everything and carefully assess what goes into the outlets. You should also never connect any of the following to a power strip.
- The oven: Even if it is not used regularly, the oven is a power-hungry equipment that should not be hooked into a power strip. It should be hooked into its electrical socket and circuit.
- Refrigerator: Once again, the refrigerator is a power-hungry device, and even if you have an energy-efficient refrigerator, it will use too much electricity to be connected into a power strip.
It is better if you connect the refrigerator into its own circuit breaker-controlled outlet.
- Washing Machine: Did you know that the washing machine consumes a lot of energy? It should also not share a power outlet with any other equipment.
A washing machine must always be plugged directly into a receptacle and, if feasible, on its own circuit.
- Heating: There are several occasions when you may want supplemental heating. It comes with its own set of dangers, although it may be used securely if plugged into its own socket. Take care not to overload the circuit and never connect it to a power strip.
- Microwave: Despite its infrequent usage, the microwave uses a significant amount of energy. Most microwave ovens are hooked into their own power outlet, which is always a good idea.
- Coffee Maker: Most people are unaware of how much electricity the coffee maker consumes. Because it uses a lot of energy, it should never be hooked into a power strip or extension cable.
- Toaster: When the toaster is in use, it can consume a significant amount of electricity. Even if you’re only browning bread or bagels, it should be connected directly into a socket rather than a power strip.
- Another Power Strip: Stacking power strips is toward the top of the list of harmful electrical practices. You may have a lot of products to plug into a small location, but connecting the power strip into the power strip is a recipe for disaster. Many fires are sparked as a result of this error.
- Electronics (Computer, TV, Router): Do not plug any electrical equipment into the power strip. Although the TV and computer do not use a lot of electricity on their own, they are susceptible to surges and can soon burn out.
