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Electrical fires in our homes claim lives year after year. Some of these fires are caused by electrical system failures and appliance defects, but many more are caused by the misuse and poor maintenance of electrical appliances, 接线安装错误, 以及过载的电路和延长线. 记住这些小贴士，让你的家更安全. Take time to walk through your house and look for potential problems.

• Plugs should fit securely into outlets, and outlets should not be overloaded. If plugs seem to fit loosely into a wall outlet, the wall outlet needs repair. 请电工检查一下插座. If you have children, cover unused outlets with plastic safety plugs.
• 水和电不能混合. 不要把电器放在水边. Never reach into water to get an appliance that has fallen in without first unplugging the appliance.
• 确保每个插座的插头类型正确. Never force a plug into an outlet if it does not fit. 更好的解决方案是使用双插头适配器.
• Check the wattage of all light bulbs in lighting fixtures to make sure they are the correct wattage for the size of the fixture.
• Make sure extension cords are in good condition - not frayed or cracked. 确保他们被放置在交通区域之外. 不要在地毯下面插电线, carpets or furniture and never nail or staple them to walls or baseboards.
• Check to see that extension cords are not overheated. Only use extension cords on a temporary basis; they are not safe as permanent household wiring.
• Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) can prevent many electrocutions. They should be used in any area where water and electricity may come into contact, 比如厨房或浴室. Test GFCIs regularly according to the manufacturer's instructions to make sure they are working properly.
• Circuit breakers and fuses should be the correct sizes for the circuits. If one appliance repeatedly blows a fuse or trips a circuit breaker, 或者它是否发出了电击, 拔掉插头，修理或更换.
• 使用空间加热器时, 远离窗帘, furniture and other flammable materials and don't leave it on all night.
• If you use an extension cord, be sure it's heavy duty and in good condition. And, make sure the cord is rated to handle the power your space heater requires. Don't use household-type extension cords with your space heaters.
• Avoid using your space heater in the bathroom and never touch the heater when you're around water.
• Make sure your space heater has an automatic switch that turns off the electric current if the unit is tipped over.
• When using electric blankets, look for cracks or breaks in the wiring. To prevent excessive heat buildup, make sure nothing covers your electric blanket. Never "tuck in" the sides or ends of your electric blanket.
• Unplug your toaster or toaster oven before using a knife or fork to remove stuck bread or bagels.
• Be safe and save energy: Remember to unplug chargers and other electrical items when they are not in use.