A few steps you can take to prevent short circuits at home

Electricity is a real blessing for us. We use it for nearly everything: from powering light bulbs to running household appliances. However, we rarely understand how much we rely on it until a short circuit or a storm knocks out a power line and leaves you without it.

Where there is electricity, there is also the chance of a short circuit. Not only does it result in power loss, but it can also cause fire, damage to appliances, injuries, and even death.It is recommended to opt for a health insurance policy to cope with any financial losses that occur due to any accidents In this article, we tell you how to avoid them.

What Is a Short Circuit?

To avoid short circuits, you need to first understand what it is. A short circuit is technically defined as an accidental path of low resistance, which passes an abnormally high amount of current. It happens when the resistance of a circuit (or a part of the circuit) drops to zero. In a home, short circuits are usually caused by broken insulation (that allows contact between wires where it shouldn’t happen), improper wiring or overloading. To keep yourself safe and sound from such short circuits, buy personal accident insurance which covers you against any accidents.

Steps to Avoid Short Circuits

There are many steps one can take to prevent short circuits, here are some of them.

Unplug Electronics When Not in Use:

This is one of the easiest methods to prevent short circuits in your home. You see, many electronics in your home will still be using power even while not in use. To check this, just see if there is a light or clock on your DVD player or any other device still on. This indicates that your device is still consuming power even on standby mode, which could cause a short circuit due to overloading.

Install Fuses:

Fuses interrupt the flow of current when it increases beyond the amount the circuit was designed for, thereby preventing a short circuit. Therefore, installing fuses are a good way to avoid short circuits and all the damages it could bring.

Install Magneto-Thermal Switches:

These switches are similar to fuses in that they also prevent power surges. They monitor the current load continuously and interrupt the electrical supply when it increases beyond a designated limit, thereby preventing short circuits.

Have Grounded Outlets:

Having grounded outlets can also prevent short circuits, especially if you’re connecting them to devices that develop an internal short circuit.