Follow these common sense guidance to improve your electrical safety.

Before you buy or use

  • Check the item is certified and bears the CE mark or the British Standards Kitemark. These may be supplied on paper depending on the item
  • Ensure that the appliance will be used for the purpose it was designed for and that it will be used in the correct environment. Fairy lights for a Christmas tree are not suitable as outside tree decorations
  • Check the correct rated safety fuse is fitted. Never replace a fuse with a higher rated one
  • Appliance misuse is the top cause of all fires in British homes and the number has increased by over a third since 2009

Millions of people are committing basic electric safety 'blunders' in the home without realising that they are exposing themselves to the risk of fire or electric shock. These include:

  • Using the microwave as an additional surface and blocking air vents
  • Leaving the tumble dryer running unattended or overnight
  • Blocking air vents by failing to clean behind the fridge/freezer
  • Overloading adaptor sockets
  • Leaving electrical appliances on while unattended, only to be alerted by a burning smell or worse not being alerted or woken at all

How to be safe with electrics in your home

  • Carry out a visual check of your electrics every six months – the Electrical Safety Council have a free smartphone app to check your home
  • Use an RCD (Residual Current Device)
  • An RCD is a life-saving device which is designed to prevent you from getting a fatal electric shock if you touch something live, such as a bare wire. It provides a level of protection that ordinary fuses or circuit breakers cannot
  • Don't overload plug sockets
  • Regularly check for worn or frayed wires
  • Buy electrical chargers from a reputable source
  • Keep appliances clean and in good working order
  • Keep combustible materials away from sources of heat and make sure that the area around your electrical intake equipment (often found in understairs cupboards) is clear
  • Unplug your electric blanket before going to bed (unless it has a thermostat for safe all-night use)
  • Don’t leave electric blankets folded as this can damage the internal wiring, store them flat or rolled up instead
  • Try not to buy secondhand blankets and check regularly for wear and tear
  • Avoid using foreign appliances in UK sockets unless they have been converted for UK use - we recommend you replace the appliance with a UK standard electrical product if the plug is not suitable for conversion
  • Ensure your home has a full periodic inspection and test from a registered electrician
  • Avoid using faulty or damaged electrical appliances, lighting and sockets. If you think there is a fault with your installation or appliance, stop using it immediately and ask a registered electrician for advice
  • Don’t run electric cables and flexes under carpets and rugs. They can wear without you knowing and cause electric shock or fire
  • Always use the correct fuses
  • Some appliances such as washing machines should have a single plug to themselves because they are high powered
  • Try to keep to one plug per socket and don’t use block adaptors, we recommend trailing lead adaptors instead
  • Look out for signs of dangerous or loose wiring such as scorch marks, hot plugs and sockets, fuses that blow or circuit breakers that trip for no obvious reasons, or flickering lights
  • Unplugging or switching off appliances particularly when you go to bed helps reduce the risk of fire and saves money

How to avoid electrical fires in your home

  • DO NOT overload your plug points
  • Always check that you use the right fuse to prevent overheating
  • Make sure an electrical appliance has a British or European safety mark when you buy it
  • Certain appliances, such as washing machines, should have a single plug to themselves, as they are high powered
  • Try and keep to one plug per socket
  • When charging electrical goods, follow the manufacturer’s instructions and look for the CE mark that indicates chargers comply with European safety standards
  • Keep electrical appliances clean and in good working order to prevent them triggering a fire
  • Keep your eyes peeled for signs of dangerous or loose wiring such as scorch marks, hot plugs and sockets, fuses that blow or circuit-breakers that trip for no obvious reasons, or ickering lights
  • Check and replace any old cables and leads, especially if they are hidden from view – behind furniture or under carpets and mats
  • Unplugging appliances helps reduce the risk of fire
  • Unplug appliances when you’re not using them or when you go to bed
  • Always ensure that your furniture has the re-resistant permanent label
  • Try to secure heaters up against a wall to stop them falling over
  • Keep them clear from curtains and furniture and never use them for drying clothes
  • Store electric blankets at, rolled up or loosely folded to prevent damaging the internal wiring
  • Unplug blankets before you get into bed, unless it has a thermostat control for safe all-night use
  • Try not to buy second hand blankets and check regularly for wear and tear
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions
Tempest Restoration 24/7 service

FAQs

A. We aim to be on the scene as soon as we can. With technicians located acrosss the UK, you are never too far away from the expert help of Tempest Restoration. The longer you delay after your property has been affected by fire, the worse the damage will be. From the moment of arrival on site, we will begin the decontamination process. We work around the clock to ensure that fire damage and your losses are kept to a minimum. We aim to safely return your business to normal, as quickly as possible.

A. Damage caused by fire may look superficial but its the effects on materials that are not visible that can have lasting consequences to health and to the structure of a building. Potential hazards include asbestos and lead among others. Your home is full of porous materials and smoke can penetrate these materials beyond what is viewable by the naked eye. Our bespoke equipment and understanding of the uniqueness of each fire gives us the ability to detect fire damage and deal with it safely and effectively. Hired machines in the hands of inexperienced operators will cost unnecessary time and money in the long term. We understand the urgency of returning your home to its pre incident state and we operate quickly and efficiently to do so for you.

A. From your point of view, the quicker the process starts, the quicker you can be back in your home. Restoration work following a fire can be lengthy, it would be wrong to assume its a quick fix. Secondary damage caused by fire begins within minutes but can be minimised if dealt with promptly by a professional. During a fire, chemical reactions produce chemicals that are toxic and potentially fatal. During the time that the fire services are extinguishing the flames, the use of water (although required for putting out the fire) can unfortunately cause further structural damage and additional hazards. The contaminated area needs to be neutralised and rendered safe to prevent further damage and degradation. Potentially, every minute is costing you money.

A. During the combustion of a fire, chemical changes occur and environmental pollutants are created, many of which are harmful to human health. This seems fairly straight forward but natural and synthetic materials in your home produce a vast array of chemicals, depending on their makeup. Here at Tempest, we thoroughly assess the entire area using state-of-the-art testing equipment to detect any traces of hazardous substances.

A. Of paramount importance and priority is safety. Fire can, however big or small, cause structural damage to your home. Even past the point of the emergency services approving the site safe for entry, you should still proceed with caution. Every fire is different and unique. The location of a fire in your home can cause a chain reaction to other rooms, and sometimes it can be contained, either way the process of restoration is variable depending on many different factors. We assess each site to ascertain the extent of the damage and the precise actions required. We undertake a comprehensive risk assessment and survey of the property along with safety checks of power supplies to isolate any further damage. Ventilation of the home then removes trace of odour. Contents are assessed for renovation/removal and damaged surfaces are decontaminated and cleaned, neutralising odours.

A. During a fire the heat produced can reach thousands of degrees. The corrosive smoke produced is forced into every space and becomes trapped in porous materials, most surfaces will almost certainly suffer corrosion. Combustion will create chemical products that will be toxic long after fire is extinguished. During the fire, fumes and chemicals produced such as carbon monoxide are potentially fatal. It is essential that your home is decontaminated by a professional following a fire, you could be ricking your health if you don't.

A. Yes. A fire produces chemical residues during combustion. The combustion process releases harmful chemicals into the environment. In older buildings materials such as asbestos and mercury have fatal side effects when subjected to fire. These chemicals penetrate porous materials and surfaces within the building itself. Smoke particles can penetrate some places you probably didn't think of, such as your heating system. If left, they can remain for months in the atmosphere which can result in lung irritation and respiratory problems, a major reason for having a professional undertake the restoration work.

A. Given that each fire is individual and unique based on many different factors including location, time and combustibles, the damage caused and cost to restore is also variable. In order to limit these costs, it is essential that fire damage remediation commences as quickly as possible. The secondary damage caused to properties begins following the fire being extinguished and will cause costs to escalate if not stopped. Our swift response teams located across the UK can be on site speedily and act quickly and efficiently to ensure your losses are kept to a minimum and your home can be back to normal in a short space of time.

A. Our technicians are trained to the highest standards and are equipped to decontaminate fire and soot-damaged properties. We have been restoring, renovating and repairing domestic and commercial premises for over many years and have served hundreds of customers in across the UK, helping them get back to normal. We are trusted providers to many insurance companies who come highly recommend.

A. We operate across the UK with technicians available in major towns and cities. Our head office is based in Swaffham, Norfolk where we undertake all our training.

Tempest Restoration

Head Office
Unit 3 Jack Boddy Way Swaffham, Norfolk PE37 7HJ

Contact Tempest Restoration

Phone: 0845 052 4522
General enquiries: info@tempestrestoration.co.uk

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Tempest Restoration is registered in England and Wales, Number 03559516
Registered office: 19 King Street, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 1HB

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