{"id":19762,"date":"2023-10-23T16:40:26","date_gmt":"2023-10-23T16:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/?post_type=blog&amp;p=19762"},"modified":"2023-10-23T16:40:26","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T16:40:26","slug":"extension-cord-safety-tips","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/blog\/extension-cord-safety-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Extension Cord Safety Tips: 17 Ways to Get Properly Plugged In"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As winter and the holiday season approaches, many of us prepare to decorate our homes with festive lights and decorations. Extension cords are a must-have tool for powering up those displays, but it&#8217;s crucial to use them correctly to avoid potential safety hazards. That&#8217;s why we&#8217;ve put together a comprehensive list of 17 extension cord safety tips to help ensure you&#8217;re using them safely and efficiently. With these extension cord safety tips, you can safely prioritize enjoying the festive season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/paper-attachments.dropboxusercontent.com\/s_052F463065973ED0C039DBD0758F7A29AB6DBD1EAABE69A1FD133E2501154404_1697567073322_AdobeStock_543079040.jpeg\" alt=\"Several beige extension cords plugged into an outlet and overloaded with various plugs. Extension cord safety tips state that you should never overload your cords.\n\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Overloading extension cords can spell trouble for your home.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">17 Extension Cord Safety Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Extension cords are convenient tools that can help us expand our reach and plug in electrical devices anywhere we need them. However, knowing extension cord safety tips can help you utilize them in a safer fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Only p<\/strong><strong>urchase cords<\/strong> approved by an independent testing laboratory, such as <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ul.com\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">Underwriters Laboratories<\/a> (UL).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t overload extension<\/strong> cords with too many appliances. The cord can overheat and possibly cause a fire.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Plug major appliances<\/strong>, such as refrigerators, dryers, and washers, directly into a wall receptacle outlet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check the maximum capacity<\/strong> of the extension cord and appliance or tool you\u2019re using, and make sure you don\u2019t exceed it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fully insert an extension cord plug<\/strong> (or any plug, for that matter) into an outlet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unplug cords<\/strong> when you\u2019re not using them. Pull on the plug to safely unplug a cord, NOT on the cord itself.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use extension cords<\/strong> only temporarily. Don\u2019t substitute them for permanent wiring.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t run cords<\/strong> through water or snow to avoid the high risk of electric shock.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t run cords<\/strong> through ceilings, walls, doorways, or floors. Never place cords under carpets, either. Covered cords allow little heat to escape and pose a fire hazard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keep cords out of the path<\/strong> of foot traffic to prevent tripping. Don\u2019t leave cords dangling anywhere where they can be pulled down and tripped over.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you use too many extension cords<\/strong>, your home may not have enough outlets. Have a qualified electrician install additional outlets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Avoid chaining multiple extension cords. <\/strong>Plug cords directly into mounted electrical receptacles and use cords that are long enough for your needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Never use indoor extension cords outdoors<\/strong>. Only use the cords marked for outdoor use.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inspect cords<\/strong> before using them. If a cord heats up or is damaged in any way, discard it.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Always use cords<\/strong> with polarized and\/or three-prong plugs. Don\u2019t force a three-prong plug into two-prong outlets. Don\u2019t remove or bend the ground pin to force a fit.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>When using cord-bundling devices<\/strong>, such as spiral wire wrap, avoid cramming cords together to prevent damaging the cord\u2019s insulation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Never use staples or nails<\/strong> to attach cords to a surface like a wall to prevent puncturing the cord\u2019s insulation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/paper-attachments.dropboxusercontent.com\/s_052F463065973ED0C039DBD0758F7A29AB6DBD1EAABE69A1FD133E2501154404_1697567085492_AdobeStock_108250546.jpeg\" alt=\"\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Always ensure your cords are in good condition before using them.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When You Need Immediate Fire Damage Restoration, Count On PuroClean North Metro Atlanta<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t let fire damage take the sparkle out of the fun and festivities! When you need trusted restoration experts, turn to PuroClean North Metro Atlanta. Our skilled technicians use cutting-edge technology to restore any damage caused by fire quickly and effectively. We are available around the clock, so you can rest assured that help is always just a phone call away. Please reach us at <a href=\"tel:7707202320\">(770) 720-2320<\/a> for top-notch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/services\/fire-damage-restoration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fire damage remediation<\/a> in North Metro Atlanta.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As winter and the holiday season approaches, many of us prepare to decorate our homes with festive lights and decorations. Extension cords are a must-have tool for powering up those displays, but it&#8217;s crucial to use them correctly to avoid potential safety hazards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19763,"template":"","blog-category":[10],"class_list":["post-19762","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blog-category-fire-restoration"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/19762","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/19762\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19763"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"blog-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.puroclean.com\/canton-ga-puroclean-north-metro-atlanta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog-category?post=19762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}