With people plugging in Christmas decorations in this week, homeowners have been given a warning
As families begin putting up their festive decorations, many will rely on extension leads to power Christmas lights and ornaments that aren’t near electrical sockets. But fire safety experts are warning these devices could spark a devastating blaze if simple mistakes are made.
People living in older properties may find themselves particularly reliant on extension leads due to having fewer wall sockets available. Now, firefighters have issued an urgent alert about the hazards that can be easily prevented.
A spokesperson for the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: “Many portable electric items like lamps and radios are supplied with a relatively short length of cable. Ensuring your home has sufficient socket outlets at convenient points will minimise the need for extension leads and adapters, but their use will occasionally be unavoidable.
“An extension lead should not be used whenever it is possible to reach a wall socket with the equipment cable. However, the equipment cable should never be stretched taut as this may cause a tripping hazard.”
Families are being told that when using an extension lead is unavoidable, there are several key steps to boost safety and reduce the danger of a preventable fire breaking out. As a basic safety measure, always inspect leads, plugs and sockets for any damage, reports the Express.
Extension leads need to be positioned with care to avoid any damage to the cable. Where cables cross pathways, the tripping hazard and potential damage can be reduced by using a rubber protector strip.
The spokesperson added: “Only use extension leads fitted with suitably-insulated connectors and plugs. Never be tempted to join two lengths of flex by twisting the bared ends of wires together, even if you bind them with insulating tape.”
According to the fire safety experts: “It is recommended no extension lead be more than 15 metres in length.” That’s just under 50ft. Any damaged extension leads must be removed from service and replaced immediately. Insulating tape cannot properly repair leads, as it lacks adequate strength, adhesion and physical protection.
Warning signs your extension lead is overloaded
The majority of extension leads carry a 13A (amp) rating, equivalent to roughly 3,000W (watts) of power. It’s crucial to carefully consider what devices are plugged into these cables to stay within the safe limit.
An appliance’s wattage can be found on the label located on its back or base, where most devices display their power consumption details. Electrical Safety First claimed there are a few different ways to tell if there is an overloading issue with your sockets or extension leads, such as:
- a smell of hot plastic or burning near an appliance or socket
- sparks or smoke coming from a plug or appliance
- blackness or scorch marks around a socket or plug, or on an appliance
- damaged or frayed leads
- coloured wire inside leads showing at the plug or anywhere else
- melted plastic on appliance casings or leads
- fuses that blow or circuit-breakers that operate for no obvious reason
For Christmas lights, the safest in terms of electricity watts are ones that use LED bulbs as opposed to incandescent bulbs, which tend to get hot and pose a fire risk if they come into contact with flammable materials, like other Christmas decorations. Modern LED bulbs also tend to use up less energy than incandescent bulbs, leading to significant savings on your electricity bill.
