As you begin to build your frightening front yard display for Halloween, it’s important to know that extension cords are a common cause of electrical fires. Avoid real scares this Halloween with these safety tips.
Outdoor Decorations:
Inspect your decorations before you plug them in and make sure they are rated for outdoor use. Always check your decorations for any frayed wires or faulty plugs, and for your safety and the safety of others, never use any damaged decorations.
Extension Cords:
Before you buy or use an extension cord you should know exactly what you need it for, since extension cords can have different wattage and amperage limits and if you overload your extension cord it can cause a fire. For instance, cheaper extension cords from the dollar store usually use 16 gauge internal wiring, rated for only 10 amps while the typical decoration requires 12.5 amps.
Another way extension cords overload is when they are plugged in to each other. It is better to find one extension cord that’s the right length, rather than daisy chaining multiple cords together to get the length you need.
Finally, remember to always turn off and unplug extension cords and decorations before you go to sleep or leave your house. Consider buying an outdoor programmable timer.
