Spring cleaning and electrical safety

Power for Progress …

  A weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority

Spring cleaning and electrical safety

The temperature may still be moving up and down the thermometer, but the calendar does say spring has officially arrived. That means many of us will soon turn our attention to spring cleaning projects. If your plans include clearing the winter clutter out of your house, the Grand River Dam Authority wants to remind you that it is also a good time to perform some springtime electrical inspections.

The following tips from our friends at the Electrical Safety Foundation International (esfi.org) are not only handy but they can also help you complete the tasks in a safe manner. Keep these in mind as you spring into cleaning:

• The label inside the door or cover of your electric service panel should have a date to let you know when your electric system was last inspected. Is it time to inspect it again? Contact a licensed, qualified electrician and schedule an inspection.
• It may be a tad early right now, but once you are finished with your furnace for the season, consider having it inspected by a licensed, qualified professional.
• Check for excessive vibration or movement when the washing machine or dryer is operating. That movement can put stress on electrical connections.
• Make sure the area around the dryer is free of clutter and clean the dryer lint filter after each load.
• Keep appliance cords away from hot surfaces like the range or toaster. Unplug the toaster and other countertop appliances when not in use.
• Vacuum refrigerator coils to eliminate dirt buildup that can reduce efficiency and create a fire hazard.
• Located all appliances away from the sink. Plug countertop appliances into ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

Your friends at GRDA want you to stay safe as you do your spring cleaning. For more electrical safety information, visit esfi.org.