Fire Danger

• The U.S. Fire Administration warns that electric stoves and ovens, clothes dryers, furnaces, televisions, radios and music players cause the most appliance fires in the country. Most of those fires result from not taking care of the appliance or using it incorrectly. Although appliances do not spark every electrical fire, such blazes kill nearly 500 Americans a year and hurt another 2,300, the federal agency points out.
  
  

Electric Shock

• Never brush off a shock from an appliance, because you could be killed by the next one. Home inspectors advise disconnecting the unit and calling a professional to diagnose the problem. Inspect your appliances from time to time, looking for worn-out and cracked insulation, loose connections, rusted wires or other problems, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors advises. Never use anything electric in a bathtub or any wet area or use wet hands to touch a cord because water will help conduct the current through you.
  
  

Cords and Plugs

• Use electrical cords and outlets properly to avoid fire and shock.plug image by Bube from Fotolia.com
  
  Replace or discard worn appliance cords, which create a fire hazard, the home inspectors association says. In bathrooms and kitchens and outdoor areas, install only ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets--GFCI. The fire administration notes you can prevent many fires simply by using electric cords correctly and not plugging too many appliances into a circuit. Never run a cord under a rug or where people walk, and use extension cords sparingly, the federal agency adds. The agency also urges you to use only a three-slot outlet for an appliance with three prongs on its plug.
  
  

More Safety Tips

• Keep anything that can burn, especially clothing and curtains, at least a yard away from a heating unit, federal fire experts advise. If a switch or appliance gets too hot, gives off sparks, smokes or cuts out, replace it.
  
  

Protect the Kids

• Keep children away from electrical appliances, especially those that get hot, and never let them play with anything plugged in, the fire administration says. Childproof outlet covers will keep small kids safe, and you can even buy covers for appliances that must stay plugged in, such as the refrigerator, SafeTots notes.
  
  

Shopping Advice

• Buy only appliances with a label noting review by the Underwriters Laboratory, marked with “UL”, or another respected laboratory, the federal fire agency recommends.