Check out how to ensure electrical safety at home when travelling, for leisure or business. There is so much to prepare for and so many things to think about.
It might seem as though your home will just be fine when you are away, but you shouldn’t leave anything to chance. The electrical systems in your house might function perfectly well most of the time, but things can go wrong. So, before you step out and lock the door behind you, take a look at our top tips for ensuring electrical safety at home when travelling.
1. Turn the lights off
We know that it can be unnerving to go away and leave your house empty, however, the old security method of leaving the lights on so that potential burglars think you are home is not a good idea. Not only can this can lead to your lights overheating and causing serious electrical issues, but it is also quite an obvious trick. It’s best to leave the lights off and invest in a good alarm system or have friends check in on your home instead.
2. Unplug your appliances
One of the most common causes of electrical issues in the home is devices being left unattended. You definitely don’t want to do this if you are going to be away from your home for days or even weeks at a time. Don’t just switch those appliances off, however, make sure that they are fully unplugged before you leave the house. This reduces the risk of short-circuiting and can prevent a disaster from taking place while you’re away.
3. Protect the property
Even if you don’t live in an area with frequent storms, it is a good idea to protect your home from them just in case. You may wish to install a surge protector to protect against lightning storms that could cause a power surge. While this might seem unlikely, the peace of mind you will get from knowing your home is as protected as possible is invaluable.
4. Turn off the power
When you’re going away, it is wise to shut off the mains power altogether. Turning off the breaker is a great way to keep your home a little bit safer, but if you have a security system that relies on your mains power or you have perishable items in your fridge, this is best avoided.
5. Check your alarms
If you do have a security alarm system or a mains or battery-powered fire alarm system, double-check that these are functioning optimally before you leave. Checking this can make sure that your alarms will activate if necessary while you are away, alerting the emergency services and getting the situation attended to as quickly as possible.
6. Call in the professionals for additional electrical safety at home when travelling
If you aren’t sure about the best ways to protect your home, then it is a good idea to get in touch with a team of professionals. This is especially useful if you are concerned that there may be electrical hazards outside your home.
An experienced and knowledgeable team of expert electricians will be able to install and maintain high-quality electrical systems in your home so you can rest in the knowledge that your property is in expert hands.
If this isn’t for you, keep reading for more lighting installation tips!
7. Double-check your system
In order to keep your electrical system truly safe, only keeping it maintained when you know you’ll be going away for a while isn’t enough. Make sure that you do checks regularly and get in contact with certified electricians who can advise you on how best to keep your home secure and energy-efficient.
Electrical safety at home when travelling means one less thing to worry about. When you do go out of town, make sure to double-check all of your electrical items and points before you leave! Accidents happen, and you cannot account for every eventuality. However, this dramatically reduces the chances of anything going wrong, and you will be able to enjoy your time away that little bit more easily.
Are you ready to go on that trip now? You can do so with complete peace of mind, safe in the knowledge that you have done everything you can to protect your property and that your home will be secure in your absence. You are far less likely to come home to an electrical issue than if you didn’t follow these simple steps.
Contact our team today for professional electrical services you can rely on.
