Top 10 Electrical Safety Tips for Homes in India

Top 10 Electrical Safety Tips for Homes in India

In India over the last 20 years and especially with the trend toward urbanization, has increased the reliance on electric appliances and increased use of electricity for daily lives and general services. There have been electric appliances that help with comfort and convenience or assistance in providing a variety of services; but unfortunately, electric appliances and usage can also be dangerous if used without precaution. The possibility of an electrical accident in homes around India remains a "real" possibility. Electrical accidents often occur in homes due to wiring, neglect, complacency, ignorance, simply - negligence.

Whether you live in a metro apartment, village house or something in between; following certain Security Tips can protect your property, and family. The following include the Top 10 Electrical Safety Tips for Homes in India and advice you can use in your home or living space in India.

1. Avoid Overloading Power Points

Power points can be overloaded in the home by use of stud boards and plug adapters, which are a common cause of household fire in India especially. Overloading a single socket with too many high wattage devices (ie geyzer, microwave) or ues of extension cords is not unusual.

• Avoid one high-powered socket
• Avoid daisy-chaining multiple stud boards
• Always check the ampere rating of a plug point and the device

2. Replace Wires and Cables Without Hesitation

In many Indian homes, appliance wires were not investigated for many years. If damaged insulation, wire cut, plug cracked, this can also lead to electric shocks and short circuits.

• Regularly check your cables for severance and wear.
• DON'T tape a damaged cable, Change it all together.
• Also, keep cables away from wet appliances and hotter path use.

3. Use Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers (ELCB)

An ELCB is a device that trips at a specific level of leakage current. ELCBs can stop you from receiving a fatal electric shock in India's humid climate - in particular rainy season. It can also help protect your electrical supply.

• Get a licensed electrician to install the ELCB or RCCB (Residual Current Circuit Breaker). Make sure your fuse box has MCBs (Miniature Circuit Breaker) to provide greater protection.
• You can find safety certified MCBs and circuit breakers at blitzelectrical.

4. Never Touch an Electrical Device with Moist Hands

This may sound silly but it is still one of the main causes of electrocution in Indian kitchens and bathrooms. Water is a conductor of electricity and even small exposure to current can be fatal if your hands are wet.

• Always keep a dry towel adjacent the electrical switchboard.
• Do not do use, or touches plugs, switches, or appliances while you are wet or sweaty with your hands.

5. Purchase BIS-Certified Electrical Products

There are plenty of cheap non-certified electrical products in India so there are a range of low quality switches, wires, appliances etc for tempting low prices. Accept that there will be a risk with electrical equipment that is not certified. Non-certified electrical equipment does run the risks and dangers of overheating and fire.

• Buy products that have ISI or BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) approved marks on them.
• Buy brands on basic household electrical products like switches, sockets and wires.
• If you need BIS approved electrical wires or MCB's, you can buy them from solsquare.

6. Childproof Your Electrical Outlets

If you have very small children at home, electrical outlets will attract curious little fingers. There are multiple reported instances in India of very young children inserting pins or metal items into electrical outlets.

• Use child-proof outlet protectors or socket covers.
• Cover floor level sockets with furniture.
• Talk to kids about the dangers of electricity.

7. Keep Electrical Appliances Away from Water

Baths, sinks, and balconies are everyday areas where people have used their electric razors, hairdryers and even have washing machines sitting there unplugged, water and electricity do not mix well.

• Switches should be installed outside bathrooms, not inside.
• Avoid leaving electric appliances near fish tanks, wash basins or flower pots.
• Unplug all your devices before cleaning or using near moisture.

8. Plan Regular Inspections of Your Electrical System

In India, many homes – especially older homes – still have original or outdated electrical systems and components – e.g., aluminum wiring, fuses, etc. Regular inspections of your electrical systems will identify problems such as fire hazards from loose connections, or overheating panels.

• Have a licensed electrical contractor inspect your home electrical systems every 3-5 years.
• Look for signs of danger - flickering lights, sparks or burning smells.
• Upgrade your electrical systems to new copper wiring and circuit protection systems.

9. Disconnect Your Electrical Devices When Not Using Them

By simply leaving an electrical device plugged in, like phone chargers, TV's, kettles, etc, to use or charge when you get home is simply wasting electricity, at least, and possibly raising the risk of a fire hazard. If there is storm and lightning, or a power surge happens while the device is not active, then you risk the device being damaged.

• Unplug devices when you leave the house or when you go to bed.
• Use surge protectors on appliances that you leave plugged in and that may experience a voltage spike during a storm.
• If your interested in surge protectors for your home electrical systems, you may find options on kenclozer.

10. Educating Family Members On Electrical Safety

Electrical safety while not complete with just the head of the household knowing and understanding needs to include the rest of the family too. All family members could certainly benefit from understanding the basics and emergency processes with specific electrical safety.

• Show family members how to locate and operate the main circuit breaker.
• Make sure that there is learner awareness about action to take in case of electric shock or fire, as part of the emergency process.
• Keep emergency electrician numbers handy for reference.

Conclusion: Safety Comes First, Always

Electrical safety in Indian homes does not plane include expensive installations; it's about acting prudently and making amicable decisions. If you are an apartment dweller or a rural home dweller, the implementation of the above simple measures will greatly mitigate your chance of an electrical accident.