One of the greatest joys of children is seeing the ways they are curious and interact with the world around them. From chasing pigeons to hiding in cupboards to climbing on furniture, kids will get into anything and everything, often without understanding the dangers that they might face.
It’s a horrible thought to think of something bad happening to children, so it’s a good idea to childproof a house as early as possible. One area that needs extra due diligence is around electrical outlets and anywhere that might pose an electrical hazard. Due to a child’s curious nature, they are prone to explore what outlets are and how they work, and might even go so far as to try and see if something will fit into them, putting them at risk of an electrical shock.
In order to keep you children safe, there are measures you can take to reduce the risk of an electrical hazard.
Identify
First, take the time to identify where potential danger spots are. Children can find the smallest spaces to crawl into so it’s even worth getting on your hands and knees to see from a child’s perspective. You might find outlets that you’ve forgotten about behind couches or hidden from plain view, but your child will likely find those ones first!
Also take note of where power bars are, where there are dangling cords, and where you have multiple cords coming together in one spot. These create potential electrical hazards for your child as well.
Related Articles:
Top Electrical Violations We Find During Electrical Inspections, We Are Now offering Electrical Contracting In Chilliwack, How to Prevent Crime with Outdoor Lighting, Summer Energy Saving Tips, Do You Have Enough Savings for Electrical Repairs?, Home Thermostat Upgrades
Prevent
Children love to put things where they don’t belong, and this creates a big danger when it comes to electrical outlets. Therefore, it’s a good idea to purchase electrical outlet covers from your local hardware store and cover any outlets that are not in use — it’s an inexpensive but highly effective solution.
Next, assess your cord situation. Children love to tug and pull on things that look like ropes, so think about what you have plugged in and where. If something heavy like a stereo is sitting on a shelf and plugged in near the ground, a child can easily pull on the cord and bring the device down onto his or her head. Consider unplugging and wrapping up cords that are not in use or moving things around so that cords are out of reach. If there are exposed cords in your home, you can purchase a cord cover so they are encased instead.
Finally, take a look at where your power cords are and what is plugged into them. Often times they are behind a television stand or computer desk and provide power to things that are left plugged in around the clock. In that case, make sure they are well hidden, or even mounted on the wall high enough that it’s out of reach for a child. You can also purchase power bar covers for those that remain accessible to children, which wrap around the power bar so that the remaining outlets can not be reached by a child.
Educate
As soon as your child is old enough to understand, explain to them that electrical outlets are not to be toyed with or used until they are older. Even still, accidents happen and prevention is the best route to take when it comes to electricity and children.
At BPM Electric, we want you and your family to be safe at home. If you have any questions or concerns about electrical hazards in your home or are in need of a qualified, professional electrician in Surrey, Langley, White Rock or elsewhere in the Lower Mainland, give us a call. Our amazing staff will be happy to hear from you.