Kitchen Electrical Safety Tips

May 24, 2019

This May, we have been celebrating National Electrical Safety Month with a series of blogs dedicated to practical electrical safety tips you can use at home. (Check out last week’s blog about outdoor electrical safety tips).

Your kitchen contains a water source from the sink and major appliances like dishwashers, refrigerators, and electric ovens. It is one of the most important rooms in your home, where is extra necessary for you to stay on top of electrical safety guidelines. Check out these kitchen electrical safety tips from our team of expert electricians at Buzz Electrical.

General Kitchen Electrical Safety Tips

• Always make sure to turn off kitchen appliances when you are done using them. Unplug countertop appliances like toaster, mixers, or blenders.
• Make sure to never leave any kitchen appliances running if you leave your house.
• Check appliances for frayed or damaged electrical cords. If you see weathered cords, replace the appliance.
• Be careful with your counter space: make sure cords for your kitchen appliances are never near hot surfaces like the stove. If their protective coating melts off, it can start and electrical fire.
• Ideally, only plug in one appliance per outlet to avoid overloading kitchen circuits.
• Clean off refrigerator coils regularly. If too much dirt builds up on them, they become a fire hazard.
• Leave some space behind your refrigerator for air to circulate.
• If you experience a shock after touching any of your kitchen appliances, turn off the appliance right away. Shut off the power at the source from your circuit board, and then call an experienced electrician before you plug anything else in.
• Power strips and extension cords are designed to be temporary problem solvers, not permanent solutions.
• Keep your stove and oven clean to prevent fire hazards from food particles.

Electrical Safety Near Water

• Never operate kitchen appliances with wet hands.
• Upgrade your kitchen to Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets. If GFCIs detect a disruption in the flow of electricity, they will completely disconnect from the power source at your electrical panel temporarily. This protects you from electrocution if your appliance gets wet.
• Consider adding outlet covers to protect the interior of your outlets. Water can easily splash out of the sink or around the stove and find its way inside.

Serve up dinner safely when you follow these kitchen electrical safety tips.

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home. Food is prepared here, and memories are made here. Make sure you keep your family safe from fires or electrocution by establishing safety rules and sticking to them.

If you need an electrician to inspect your kitchen for electrical code requirements or you need to upgrade to GFCI outlets, give us a call at Buzz Electrical. Our team is here to help with any of your electrical safety needs.

Family-owned and operated Buzz Electrical is Fayetteville’s leading electrical company! If you need any electrical upgrades or repairs in your Arkansas home, we are here to help. Give us a call at (479) 267-2899.