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Electric fires area frightful occurrence, and for good reason. Their explosive nature and the chance of a complete fire developing could mean severe injury and damage to both people and property. As such, it is very important that we be aware of the source behind electric fires and also just how we can take early safety measures to avoid them.
How Electric Fires Break Out
For starters, electric fires are not different from normal fires where a fire breaks out due to the quantity of heat energy going beyond the melting point of the product. In this situation, the product would certainly be that of your electric appliances, wiring or power outlets. Once the temperature of the medium has actually exceeded the melting point, a fire can then break out, provided the area has oxygen.
A distinct possibility of an electrical fire emerges when a property utilises old and worn out circuitry wires. Over the course of time, the insulating materials of these wires would have deteriorated, thus exposing the wires. Why is this dangerous? In the next section we will be looking at how old wires contribute to electric fires.
Old Wires are a Cause
When the conductive materials of wires are left open and exposed, they risk coming into contact with other conductors of electricity. When this happens, an exponential rise in electrical current in the circuit occurs. This is because alternative paths of lesser resistance have been created, thus enabling electric current to spike. The big rise in current subsequently creates tremendous heat energy till the point that the temperature goes beyond the wire’s melting point.
Safety Measures
When electric current in your circuit reaches dangerous levels, your circuit breaker gets triggerd, cutting off all power and also stopping any kind of damage to it. If your circuit breaker were to be damaged, then this fail-safe measure will not kick in.
Symptoms & indicators
The top signs of an incoming electrical fire would consist of:
– Smoke, sparks as well as charring of your power outlets
– The power sockets cover becoming very hot
If you notice any one of these signs, quickly turn off power to the location as well as contact emergency electrician services. A full evaluation, repair work as well as possible substitutes will be needed in order to guarantee the secure performance of your residence’s electric circuit.
Preventive Measures
As mentioned earlier, old wiring is a major contributing factor towards electric fires. As such, it is important to engage electrical wiring installation services on a periodical basis in order to keep your wires in tip top condition. Furthermore, regular checks on your circuit breaker should be made, especially after a black out. This will ensure that the circuit’s safety measures are up to par.
