Home Electrical Safety

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is the leading authority on home electrical safety. Electricity and electrical products are fundamental parts of our lives and homes. However, the National Fire Protection Association reports that home electrical problems account for an estimated 53,600 fires and $1.4 billion in property losses each year. And fire is not the only danger. Each year hundreds of people in the US are electrocuted in their own homes.

The good news is that many home electrical fires and electrocutions can be prevented by using more up-to-date technology and by recognizing warning signs your home may be showing.



- Home Safety Checklist - Old Home Wiring - Recycling = Safety - Space Heaters - Washers & Dryers	- Outdoor Safety Checklist - Portable Generators	- Winter Storms - Hurricanes - Floods - Earthquakes	- Halloween - Christmas

Is your home safe?

Aging homes pose an even greater fire and electrocution risk. The US Census Bureau reports that half of the homes in use in the United States were built before 1973. Today’s demands for energy can overburden an aging home’s electrical system causing fires or electrocutions. Visit our Old Home Wiring section to learn more about how to correct dangers commonly found in homes.

Counterfeit electrical products are being found with greater frequency in US homes. Many consumers unknowingly purchase counterfeit electrical products. Knock-off extension cords, decorative lights, receptacles, hair dryers, irons, toasters and hundreds of other consumer products have caused shocks, electrocutions and fires. Go to Counterfeits Can Kill page to learn more about how you can recognize counterfeit electrical products.

Are these protecting your home?

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs) – An AFCI is a new type of circuit breaker which recognizes fire hazards and immediatelys shut off the power.The US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Healthy Homes report lists lack of AFCIs among the primary residential hazards associated with burns and fire-related injuries. Click HERE to learn more about AFCIs.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) – GFCIs are special outlets that have saved thousands of people from electrocution over the last three decades. If GFCIs were installed in older homes, experts suggest that 70 percent of the approximately 400 electrocutions that occur each year in the home could be prevented. Click HERE to learn more about GFCIs.
Tamper-Resistant Outlets (TROs) – TROs protect small children from inserting foreign objects into them. These specialized outlets have been so effective in preventing injuries to children that the 2008 National Electrical Code requires that tamper-resistant outlets be installed in all new homes constructed. Click HERE to learn more about tamper-resistant outlets.