• Electrical safety in the home
• Hidden electrical hazards
• Warning signs of electrical dangers
• Top causes of electrical fires
• FAQ and other resources
• Videos
• Electrical circuit-interrupters
• Tamper-resistant electrical receptacles
• Keep Your Community Safe and Energized
• Electrical safety lesson plans
• Product recalls & counterfeiting warnings

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Hidden electrical hazards

Ignoring your home's electrical system can be a costly mistake

Our lives literally depend on the safe use of electricity in our homes, and often safety hazards can go unnoticed or unseen. Even what homeowners might think of as a "minor" problem can lead to a devastating fire. In fact, electricity is a leading cause of home fires in the U.S.

Each year fires that start in electrical systems or lighting equipment

• damage more than 24, 000 homes
• kill 320 people
• injure 830 more

In addition, the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 50 people die every year from accidental electrocutions involving residential wiring, panel boards, circuit breakers, and outlets. Another 40 electrocutions each year involve household appliances that are connected to the wiring of homes.

By making sure you have a thorough electrical inspection completed by a qualified electrician before buying, selling, or remodeling a home, you can help ensure your home's electrical system operates at the highest level of safety possible.

Download a report on aged wiring in older homes
The Fire Protection Research Foundation has issued a first-of-its-kind report to look within and "behind the walls" to assess the electrical risks and hazards present in many older homes in the United States.

• Download the full report (PDF, 2 MB)
• Download the fact sheet (PDF, 459 KB)

 

In this Section:

Warning signs of electrical dangers FAQ and other resources

Top causes of electrical fires Videos