There’s a hidden danger lurking in British homes that experts are urging people to educate themselves about. While they are very convenient, extension leads are one of the leading causes of electrical fires in the UK.
This is because many people don’t realise there are some appliances which should never be plugged into them. These appliances are too powerful for the extension leads, and can lead to immense danger if you’re not careful. Charanjit Mannu, Director at Elec Training, says that many house fires start each year because people connect high-powered appliances to extension leads that can’t handle the load.
He said: “The statistics are alarming, we attend numerous callouts where extension leads have caused fires simply because people don’t understand which appliances are too powerful for them.”
The three appliances that should always be plugged in at the wall are kettles, heaters and toasters.
Charanjit said: “These three items draw massive amounts of current – far more than most extension leads can safely handle. A typical kettle uses around 3000 watts, electric heaters can use 3000 watts or more, and toasters typically use 800-1500 watts.
“When extension leads overheat, the plastic casing can melt and ignite surrounding materials. Many people make things worse by coiling extension leads while in use, which concentrates the heat in one area.”
Another hidden danger is the one posed by cheap, unbranded leads.
Charanjit said: “Always check that any extension lead you buy has proper safety markings and fuses. The cheap unmarked ones from online marketplaces often lack basic safety features and can be extremely dangerous.”
According to information from the London Fire Brigade, one of the most common causes of electrical fires is overloaded sockets. They advise always using fused ‘inline’ type extensions rather than cube-type adaptors.
Keep up to date on how your extensions leads are faring by frequently checking them for damage
Charanjit said: “Frayed cables, burn marks, or loose connections are all warning signs. Never try fixing damaged extension leads with electrical tape – always replace them immediately.”