According To The Fire Department, This Is The Most Important Extension Cord Mistake To Avoid

Mar 21, 2019 by apost team

It is so simple to get every benefit out of your extension cord. Many of us have done this – plugged in many items to one extension cord.

That is what they are for, right? According to your local fire department, you should not plug multiple devices or appliances into one extension cord via a power strip.

The time of year accidents happen is usually during the winter months and during the holidays. It has been proven that it can be extremely dangerous to load every available plug in an extension cord and power strip.

We want you to know the proper way to use an extension cord and power strip. Just because the cords and power strips have more than one plug, that does not mean it is safe to use every one of them at the same time.

According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), extension cords should not be used as a permanent solution. They should only be used as a temporary measure.

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The reason is that your extension cord, just as most products, technically has a shelf life. Extension cords can corrode and stop working properly over time, and they can cause a serious electrical shock or fire if you do not use them in the right manner.

Your local fire department wants you to know that there is one thing you ought NEVER EVER plug into an extension cord or power strip; the most vital extension cord errors to avoid.

This fact is backed up by Umatilla County Fire District #1. Plugging in a space heater is the one thing you should never (EVER) do!

The Umatilla County Fire District #1 have warned that you should never plug an electric heater into a power strip or an extension cord. Power strips and extension cords are not manufactured to take the higher electricity current space heaters require. The cords or power strips could overheat. They could catch on fire too.

A press release by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) stated:

While only 32 percent of home heating fires involve space heaters, they are involved in 79 percent of home heating fire deaths, according to the new report Home Fires Involving Heating Equipment released today by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Heating equipment continues to be the second leading cause of home fires behind cooking and the second leading cause of home fire deaths behind smoking.

NFPA is urging caution and asking the public to practice safe heating behaviors as the peak time for home heating fires continues; half of all home heating fires occurred in December, January and February in 2003-2007.

The following image, taken by your local fire department, shows a power strip that melted, overheated, and caught fire because of improper use. This was even a humbling reminder for firefighters who witnessed such fires, so they want to remind you about the dangers plugging space heaters into extension cords and/or power strips/surge protectors can result in.

Even the top products on the market can fail if you do not use them right. It is not really about the manufacturer of each extension cord or power strip. It is about how you use the products – use them safely.

1. Follow manufacturer suggestions and never overload power strips and/or extension cords.
2. Always make sure your electrical cords are not covered. Smothering cords will smother them and can cause fires.
3. Never run an extension cord over the ground where there is water or snow.
4. Never run your cords through the ceiling, a wall, or a doorway.
5. Make sure your cord is used in the proper environment – an outdoor cord is not for indoor use and vice versa.
6. Read the information on your extension cord and power strip packaging about the product wattage rating, so that what you plug in is the proper watts for the cord and surge protector.
7. Never use an electrical cord that has a lower wattage rating than the product you plan to plug in.
8. If you think that a cord or other product (plugged in product) getting warm or hot, unplug it immediately and do not touch it. You could get shocked by electricity; or burned.
9. Never plug a cord into an outlet that is too big for the outlet – forcing the plug can cause a fire or serious injuries.
10. Only purchase extension cords made with three-prong or polarized plugs – these types of cords have grounding implements within them that help prevent shocks, etc. (The difference between two-prong and three-prong extension cords.)
11. Only purchase electrical cords that an independent testing laboratory has stamped with safety approval: a few independent testing labs are: Underwriters Laboratories (UL), ETL-SEMKO (ETL), and Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
12. What Your Local Fire Department Wants You to Know – the Most Vital Extension Cord Errors to Avoid -- to keep you and your loved ones safe by following the above safety tips. These errors can be effortlessly avoided, and they can spare you and your family from life-threatening situations.

What did you think of these warnings? Were you already aware of these dangers? Let us know in the comments - and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family.

As always, stay safe folks!