Certain everyday actions can put you in serious danger without you realizing it. This one is particularly risky and should be avoided at all costs.
Every year, many home fires are started by simple mistakes that could easily be avoided. According to the National Observatory for Electrical Safety (ONSE), nearly a third of fires in France are of electrical origin. Among the causes? A daily gesture that many of us do without thinking, but which can quickly turn into a real danger for the home. This type of fire is more common than you think, and yet you just need to take a few precautions to protect yourself from it. If you don’t pay attention to this detail, the consequences can be dramatic.
You should know that one of the main causes of domestic fires is multiple socket overloads. When too many devices are plugged into the same multiple socket, it exceeds its maximum capacity. This overload leads to overheating, and the excessive heat can melt electrical wires or cause a short circuit, thus starting a fire. This phenomenon is particularly dangerous when high energy consumption devices such as heaters, coffee machines or microwaves are used simultaneously on the same power strip. The risk increases even more if multiple sockets are stacked or if multiple extension cords are used without checking their compatibility with the electrical load.
To avoid these incidents, a few simple actions can be enough. First, check the maximum power of your power strip, often listed in watts or amps, and never exceed it. Add up the power of all devices and compare it with the capacity of your power strip, if you exceed this capacity it is time to reduce the number of devices plugged in. It is also crucial to never plug multiple power strips together or overload them with power-hungry appliances.
Finally, favor the use of power strips equipped with overload protection, which automatically cuts off the power in the event of a risk. Also be sure to unplug appliances when not in use and replace any power strips showing signs of wear, such as frayed cords or melted materials.