Protect Homes from Electrical Fires During Holiday Season
EAST BRUNSWICK, N.J. (PRWEB) November 25, 2014 -- As the holidays approach, Gold Medal Service, an HVAC, electrical, and plumbing business serving the state of New Jersey, is encouraging homeowners to take preventative safety measures that can reduce the chances of a devastating electrical fire during the holiday season.
In 2012 electrical malfunctions were factors in 65 percent of the fires caused by holiday lights and decorations, according to the National Fire Protection Agency.
“With most homeowners decorating for the holidays and hosting holiday parties, it’s not uncommon to overload extension cords, which can spark an electrical fire quickly,” said Mike Agugliaro, co-owner of Gold Medal Service. “It is one of the most common causes of fires this time of year, but it doesn’t have to be.”
Many homeowners use lamp extension cords instead of a heavy duty extension cord, a common mistake that can have devastating consequences. A lamp extension cord is not created to power appliances or a large amount of lights, and when it is overloaded by the electrical currents it can short and spark a disastrous fire. By swapping it out for a heavy duty extension cord homeowners reduce the risk of fire, because it is capable of powering those additional appliances and lights homeowners need to use.
Homeowners should also avoid running those extension cords over doorways and under rugs, this can cause protective insulation to deteriorate around the wires, and if a fuse blows or a circuit breaker trips, it’s important to identify the problem and fix it, instead of just replacing or resetting it.
“I encourage you to take the extra step in protecting your homes from electrical fires, by not only avoiding overloading extension cords, but also using surge protectors, you will save yourself time and money in the long run,” said Agugliaro. “Protect your home, your family and your friends and ensure that you have a happy holiday season by taking the extra time to use the correct electrical products.”
About Gold Medal Service
Gold Medal Service, rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau, was founded in New Jersey in 1994 with just two employees. Their vision was to provide homeowners with a reliable and trustworthy home service company customers could count on to fix just about anything that could go wrong in a home. Since then Gold Medal has grown to include more than 120 employees and technicians solving plumbing, heating, cooling, electric, drain, waterproofing, and sewer issues for homeowners across the state of New Jersey. Gold Medal Service is an Angie’s List “Super Service Award” recipient. For more information, call 800-576-GOLD or visit http://www.goldmedalservice.com.
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For additional information, contact:
Heather Ripley
Ripley PR
hripley (at) ripleypr (dot) com
865-977-1973
Heather Ripley, Ripley PR, http://www.ripleypr.com, +1 865-977-1973, [email protected]
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