Asked on Sep 12, 2013

Electrical Safety issues in a home

Hi fellow HomeTalkers!
As a home environment professional I come across many issues on a daily basis. One of these issues I think many of us are guilty of and not even aware were doing it.
I had a call the other day from a client who we just installed a new heating and cooling system for.
Their complaint was a burning plastic smell throughout the home when the AC was running. When I got to the house I found nothing wrong, but being the professional nosy person I am I wanted to find the source of the smell. So I started looking all over the home particularly near the return duct openings where this odor could have been drawn into the system.
What I found really scared me. Not so much from what caused the smell which I never did fined, but from all the electrical goodies, extension cords, outlet multipliers and charging units for all the phones, computers, TVS, radios etc. And this was just in four rooms! Did not even get into the upper levels.
Many outlet extension cords that have those several spaces you can plug several things into at once were pushed tightly down behind cabinets, laying over heating ducts, or placed behind cloth furniture. Several of these had plugs that were hardly plugged in exposing a lot of the plug itself. Combine that with a lot of dust that simply collects in these areas and you have a recipe for a fire.
Ideally more hard wired outlets need to be installed in this home. But we must be careful when using these extension cords and the transformers that come with computers and printers. These all heat up and if placed in a poor location a fire could result.
The photos are a bit blurry, sorry about that. Need new glass on phone. But you can get an idea of what I am talking about. Take the time and look around your home. I bet you will find this same issue not realizing your even doing it.
Unplug everything when its not being used. Or put the extension cords on a switched outlet that you can turn off when not using these appliances. Make sure no dust is collecting and that your not burying the transformers on the wires under clothing or piles of paper and other flammable materials that could over heat and burn.
wires sitting on heat and cooling ducts. Unsafe to say the least
several outlets and plugs along with transformers hanging down and laying on the floor and under appliances
Water sitting on a radio? Just does not mix.
Extension cord nailed to ceiling joist in basement.
Can you find the transformers under the pile of junk?
More of the same.
Still more wires plugged into outlets with nothing connected on the other end except chargers for phones they most likely do not even own anymore.
Outlet strip being held up by metal wood hangers. Notice center plug falling out exposing open metal plug.
A pile of plugs all stuck tight behind a cabinet with many games, TV, chargers, and equipment. Lots of exposed plugs with layers of dust laying on top.
Laptop being charged laying on a cloth couch partly covered.
More plugs with wires running all over the place behind a couch. Note wire entering in wall just below air duct.
Even more plugs and charging units not being used. Yet remains plugged in.
  11 answers
  • Miriam Illions Miriam Illions on Sep 12, 2013
    I do't use very many appliances, but I keep EVERYTHING unplugged. My boyfriend laughs at me - he thinks I'm paranoid. I check all outlets before I leave the house. A little OCD maybe. :-) Thank you for this important post!
  • Z Z on Sep 12, 2013
    Great post and great information Bob. Thanks.
  • April April on Sep 12, 2013
    Yes, thank you for making us more aware of this!
  • Carole Carole on Sep 13, 2013
    Thank you, thank you! I am always warning my hubby about this but does he listen? NOoooooo! I am going to show him your post. Miriam, I think my hubby is like your boyfriend - does not take it seriously and thinks I am paranoid too!
  • The funny thing about this issue is that we all are guilty of it. And were not even aware of how much we plug in to operate our appliances, phones, TV's game consoles and the like. All of this stuff heats up and we all know we only have two plugs where we need four or six so we continue to add more adapters to the outlet. Although we really are not overloading the outlet itself, its all the transformers that add heat and the lack of access to get behind the cabinets were we hide these cables. After a while a lot of dust collects and with plugs coming out just enough we have a condition that is conducive to a fire. Check those plugs, they can be partly out exposing their prongs, And if anything falls against them you risk having a short.
    • See 1 previous
    • Tonya Tonya on Nov 24, 2014
      Thanks for the life saving information.
  • Z Z on Sep 13, 2013
    Should the converter boxes on computer cords be raised above carpet Bob? I've often wondered about that because they do heat up quite a bit.
  • I would not be so concerned about them laying on a carpet. But its when several of them begin to crowd up then get hidden under stuff where I would assume the troubles would begin. If they cannot dissipate the heat they generate which does not feel like a lot, until you cover them with drapes and things where air cannot flow over and around them do they begin to warm up quite a bit. We have small plastic wire ties that have small holes on the tab part, We wrap them with the tie and then using a small screw we hold them up under the desk so all you see is the wire running from the outlet. You can also use double stick Velcro straps. They can be fastened under the desk or table where the appliance is located and they will hold up wires and the transformer at the same time. Simply peel and stick them back up if you need to move things around. If you wonder about this heat. If you check around an outlet that has one of those transformers with the outlet plug directly on them. These are those larger square types with the tiny wire coming out of them. If you look at the outlet when its unplugged after being installed for any length of time, you will see a dark spot on the face of the outlet. This is from dust that flows around the transformer because of the air currents created by the heat it generates. The heat causes the dust to stick to the surface of the outlet. Now imagine if that same plug was covered over by a large drape or a pillow that has fallen off of a bed or couch.
    • Z Z on Oct 01, 2013
      @Not sure how I missed this, but thank you so much for the info Bob. My desk is an MCM Lane Acclaim so I don't want to permanently attach anything under neath, but there is a bar at the back I could easily use to hold up the converter boxes using the secure or even Velcro straps. Right now one is just above the carpet and the other is laying on the woofer for my speakers. The speakers have the plug converter and it's almost cool to the touch. Only one of the outlets in our home are close enough to have drapes in front of them and I have a retracting extension cord to avoid anything other than it being plugged in behind the drapes so I should be good there. Just for safeties sake I'm going to put on my cell calendar to alert me to check all outlets tomorrow.
  • LandlightS LandlightS on Oct 01, 2013
    Bob......I just saw your excellent post. And part of the major problem are the big box stores......where most extension cord are purchased. 99% percent of their employees no nothing about amperage load and let customers by an 18g or 16g multi-outlet cords to be used with 4 to six devices, when the minimum should be a 14g cord. Additionally, most people do not realize how import cord management is to protect the equipment and the home. Gary
  • Cathy W Cathy W on Feb 08, 2015
    Thank you! I'm guilty of letting things to the floor and forgetting about them and the plug-ins. I would really be in hot water with my fireman husband!!!
  • Alisha Manna Alisha Manna on Dec 24, 2016

    Thanks for the information!!

  • Shreenath Shreenath on Jul 21, 2021

    I'm currently using slotted wiring ducts or open slot type cable ducts, they are not very aesthetic but does the job at a very low cost. I use it for my work from home setup. You can find smaller sizes at

    https://goswitchgear.com/.

    https://goswitchgear.com/product-category/accessories/wire-duct-cable-trunking/