Cómo evitar incendios eléctricos es una cuestión clave relacionada con nuestra seguridad y salud. This blog will tell you the good ways in detail.
What Is the Most Common Cause of Electrical Fires?
Electrical fires have multiple common causes that can vary in different situations. Sin embargo, aging and faulty electrical wiring is one of the most prevalent causes.
Due to long-term use, humedad, and high temperatures, the insulation layer of aging electrical wiring can gradually deteriorate and harden. When the current in the circuit is too high or there’s a short circuit, the damaged insulation cannot effectively isolate the current from combustible materials. As a result, this will lead to fires.
Además, electrical equipment failure is another significant factor. During use, electrical equipment may develop faults due to overheating, overloading, or short circuits. If these faults aren’t discovered and addressed promptly, they can lead to fires. Por ejemplo, damaged internal circuit components, poor wiring connections, and inadequate heat dissipation can cause overheated equipment. Then its nearby combustible materials is ignited.
Además, human factors cannot be ignored. Por ejemplo, improper wiring connections, use of poor-quality electrical products, and violations of safety regulations can all increase the risk of electrical fires.
5 Warning Signs of Faulty Wiring or Electrical Systems
Faulty wiring or electrical systems typically show warning signs that can help people identify and address potential safety hazards.
- Frequent circuit breaker trips are a clear warning signal. When current exceeds preset values, circuit breakers automatically trip to cut power and prevent equipment damage or fires.
- Abnormal equipment operation is another warning sign. Por ejemplo, electrical equipment making unusual noises, overheating, or not working properly.
- Unusual odors from electrical systems shouldn’t be ignored. When electrical components like wires, salidas, or switches malfunction, they may emit burning or plastic smells.
- Overheating wires and outlets are common warning signs. This could be due to excessive current, improper wire gauge, or poor outlet connections.
- Abnormal indicator lights on electrical systems can be warning signals. Some systems have fault indicators that light up when problems occur.
How Long Does It Take for An Electrical Fire to Start?
Electrical fires often occur after a series of potential problems accumulate and reach a critical point.
In cases of severe short circuits or overloads, it takes just minutes to start a fire. Short circuits cause sudden current increases, and the resulting heat can quickly ignite nearby combustible materials. Overloads can cause wires to remain at high temperatures, potentially damaging insulation and causing fires.
For internal equipment short circuits or overloads, it also takes just minutes to start a fire if power isn’t cut quickly. Because the heat generated can ignite internal insulation or other combustible materials.
What to Do if an Electrical Fire Occurs
Cut off the Power
Primero, we should cut off the power quickly. When an electrical fire is found, people should cut off the main power supply as soon as possible. This effectively avoids the spread of fire and the risk of electric shock. Do not touch electrical switches or sockets on fire with your hands to prevent electric shock. If there is little fire source near the main power switch, you can wear insulating gloves to turn it off. Even,iIf you cannot reach the main power switch, you should immediately call for help.
Put off the Fire
En segundo lugar, we should choose the appropriate fire extinguishing equipment to extinguish the fire. After cutting off the power supply, people should choose carbon dioxide fire extinguishers to put off the fire. These fire extinguishing devices can effectively extinguish electrical fires while avoiding the risk of electric shock. Remember, please do not use water and foam extinguishers. Because burning appliances may have residual current, the use of water and foam extinguishers may cause electric shock to people.
If there is no fire extinguisher at home, you can also use a fire blanket or soaked heavy quilt to cover the fire. During this process, you should maintain the necessary safe distance to avoid any danger. Mientras tanto, personal protection is very important to avoid burns, too.
If the fire is large and cannot be handled by yourself, evacuate the scene immediately and call 119 for help. When evacuating, shout loudly and call for more people to evacuate together. Al mismo tiempo, people should close doors and Windows to avoid wind to fuel the fire. During the evacuation process, pay attention to staying calm and avoid panic.
When Should I Call Emergency Services Rather Than Use an Extinguisher?
- The flames have spread to multiple rooms or floors, or the fire has grown rapidly.
- The source of the fire is electrical equipment or chemicals
- Fires occur in crowded places such as shopping malls, schools, and hospitals
If the fire is small and originates from clear sources, people can try to use a fire extinguisher to put out the fire. Por ejemplo, if the oil pan in the kitchen at home is on fire, then it is feasible to put off the fire with fire extinguisher. By the way, it should be noted that people should operate extinguisher according to the instructions. Once the fire expands or cannot be controlled, we should immediately evacuate and reported to the police.
How Do I Use A Fire Extinguisher?
People need to stand on the upper or side of the fire and maintain a safe distance from the fire. En general, portable fire extinguishers should stand about 5 meters away from the fire source. Wheeled fire extinguishers should stand about 10 meters away.
En primer lugar, to lift the fire extinguisher, quickly arrive at the fire. Then unplug the safety pin to prepare for the fire. Then aim at the root of the fire source, where the flame meets the fuel. Force down the pressure handle of the fire extinguisher to make the extinguishing agent spray out; Finalmente, continue spraying the extinguishing agent until the flame is completely extinguished.
In the process of using fire extinguishers, people need to pay attention to some safety matters. Por ejemplo, do not point the nozzle of a fire extinguisher directly at the human body to avoid injury.
5 Important Checks to Prevent Electrical Fires at Home
- People should carefully examine the appearance of wires and cables to see if they are worn, cracked or exposed.
- People should check whether electrical equipment has signs of overheating, burning or damage, and check whether the socket is firm and the wiring is standardized.
- People should understand the carrying capacity of the home circuit, and reasonable arrangements for the use of electrical equipment. Avoid using too many high-power appliances on the same circuit simultaneously.
- People should check the electrical system in their homes regularly. Electrical systems include meters, circuit breakers, leakage protectors and other equipment, their role is to protect the safety of household electricity.
- People should regularly check whether smoke alarms and fire extinguishing equipment installed in their homes are faulty.
Cómo evitar incendios eléctricos
Check the Electrical Equipment and Wiring
Primero, people should regularly check the electrical equipment and wiring in their homes. Aging wiring, broken sockets, and substandard electrical equipment can all be electrical fire hazards. Por lo tanto, people should every once in a while, carefully check whether the wire is worn, whether the socket is loose, and whether the electrical equipment has abnormal heating. Once any problem is found, it should be stopped immediately and checked and repaired by a professional electrician.
Use Electrical Equipment Properly
En segundo lugar, when using electrical equipment, we should abide by the correct use method. Do not overload the use of electrical appliances, do not arbitrarily pull random wiring. Do not use electrical appliances for a long time without supervision. These are the basic common sense to prevent electrical fires. Al mismo tiempo, after using the electrical appliance, people should unplug in time to avoid the electrical appliance for a long time standby to reduce the risk of electrical fire.
Keep a Suitable Environment For Appliance
Además, people should pay attention to the electricity environment at home. Avoid using appliances in humid, hot or flammable environments to reduce electrical fires caused by environmental factors. Además, people should also keep the electrical equipment around the clean, avoid debris accumulation, so as not to affect the heat dissipation of electrical appliances, increase the risk of fire.
Install Some Electrical Fire Prevention Devices
Al mismo tiempo, people should install leakage protectors and overload protection devices in their homes. These devices can cut off the power in time when the electrical system is abnormal, so as to avoid the occurrence of electrical fires. People should regularly check whether these protective devices are working properly and replace them immediately once they are found to be abnormal.
Finalmente, people should be equipped with fire fighting equipment and related detection instruments at home, and be familiar with their use. In the event of an electrical fire, people should immediately cut off the power supply and use fire extinguishing equipment to fight. If the fire cannot be controlled, evacuate the scene immediately and call the police.
What Device Helps Prevent Electrical Fires?
Circuit Breakers
En primer lugar, the circuit breaker is one of the important equipment to prevent electrical fires. A circuit breaker is a safety device that automatically cuts off power in the event of an overload or short circuit in an electrical system. When the current exceeds the preset limit, the circuit breaker will act quickly, thereby preventing overheating of the wire and the occurrence of fire. Circuit breakers are widely used in power distribution systems in homes, offices and industrial sites and are an essential component of electrical safety.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)
En segundo lugar, leakage protector is also a key equipment to prevent electrical fires. The leakage protector can monitor the leakage in the electrical system, and when the leakage current is detected, it will automatically cut off the power supply to prevent the fire caused by the leakage. Leakage is usually caused by aging wires, breakage or equipment failure, and leakage protectors can provide timely protection before these potential problems start a fire.
Electrical Fire Monitoring Systems
Además, the electrical fire monitoring system is an advanced preventive equipment, which can detect fire hazards and issue alarms in time by monitoring the parameters and status of the electrical system in real time. These systems typically include components such as detector de humos, monitoring hosts and alarm devices, and are capable of covering a wide range of electrical equipment and wiring. Electrical fire monitoring system can not only provide timely alarm in the early stage of the fire, but also record and analyze the operating data of the electrical system, which provides an important basis for electrical safety management and maintenance.
