Electric Safety Tips for Dorm Rooms

Parents worry about many different things when their children head off to live in a dorm room. They worry about everything from whether their kid will get homesick to whether they will make it on time to classes. But one thing that they don’t often worry about - but should - is how safe the electricity is in the dorm room. Dorms are often in old buildings with outdated wiring and this can cause serious risks that can easily lead to fires in dorm rooms.

Here are some electric safety tips for teens who are living in dorms (or anyone living in a small space with old wiring!)

Follow the rule that one outlet = one appliance. This can be tough. Dorm rooms have many different electrical appliances, from computers to small refrigerators. Nevertheless, it is important for safety reasons that only one appliance be plugged into each outlet at any given time. And no, you can’t just plug in a power strip and then plug a bunch of stuff into that. Power strips should never be used as a long-term solution. One outlet = one appliance.

Pay attention to the space around your appliances. Any appliance that generates heat can lead to a fire if anything is too close to the item. You want to make sure that you keep papers, fabric and all other items at least a short distance away from all appliances when they are plugged in. This includes not hanging clothing or towels close to items like light bulbs.

Pay attention to your cords and outlets. Check them regularly and see if they feel warm to the touch. If they do then there is a problem and it needs to be fixed. It’s time to contact campus housing staff (or landlords if you’re an off-campus renter).

Turn off and / or unplug electrical equipment that is not in use. Every time that you leave a dorm room, you should check to make sure that you’ve turned off everything that runs on electricity. People who have trouble remembering to do this should consider switching out their existing appliances for ones with automatic shutoff features.

Most colleges have guidelines for their dorm rooms. Encourage your teen to read the rules and follow them to stay safe!

Source: http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/wiltonbulletin/news/localnews/101551-clap-offers-dormitory-safety-tips-.html