Living in a mobile home has many advantages, but homeowners must be conscious of certain safety concerns unique to these houses.
While mobile homes are vulnerable to some of the same hazards as permanent structures, they are constructed with lighter materials and are not grounded with the same reinforcements.
Therefore, it is important to be extra vigilant to avoid hazards and maintain electrical safety.
If you are living or thinking of living in a mobile home the following tips may help you maintain the electrical safety of your mobile home.
Regular Electrical Safety Tips for Around the Home
To ensure the electrical safety of a mobile home it is important that you regularly follow the following tips:
1.Maintain the Installation and Safety Code
Set the electric system of your mobile home while adhering to the installation and safety code. The grounding and electrical systems of your mobile home are tightly regulated by the same stringent requirements as any typical house.
Furthermore, local state requirements for electrical safety for mobile homes may surpass these basic criteria. For example, if you live in Chicago, the state safety requirements may differ slightly from those of other states.
Thus, it is safe for you to install the electric setting by contacting an electrician in Chicago, as they best know the national, state, and local rules for electrical safety.
For installation, repairs, and expansions of electricity of your mobile home use the services of a competent expert.
2.Have a Grounding System
The homeowner is protected from power surges and excess voltage by a grounding system. Metal components such as the refrigerator and other appliances might cause unpleasant shocks if the home is not well-grounded.
Through the use of grounding, the stray voltage can enter the ground in a controlled manner as opposed to leaping through a person’s body or sparking.
When a mobile home is linked to an electrical power source, it must be grounded by a grounding bar that is electrically separated. The grounding system is therefore a fail-safe mechanism.
3.Install Grounding Bar in Electrical Distribution Panel
Rather than the customary three, four cables with different functions enter the mobile home. Do not use the metal stabilizer or hitch caster for grounding as the use of the hitch caster or metal stabilizing bars as a grounding point is unapproved and dangerous.
The approach that is permitted involves making use of a grounding bar that is electrically separated and is installed within your electrical distribution panel.
This bar serves as the point of connection for all of the metal components in your mobile home that do not carry current.
4.Use Electrical Circuit Breakers
Use electrical circuit breakers in your mobile home. Electrical circuit breakers are the current solution to the age-old problem of how to safeguard one’s equipment and mobile home from the possible harm that can be caused by excessive power fluctuations.
The power in a circuit is cut off automatically by these devices, which are resettable fuses. If the current in the circuit surpasses a safe level, the device shuts off the power.
The switch will trigger and cut power to that circuit if the current exceeds the acceptable threshold for risk.
5.Lookout for Damaged Electrical Cables and Devices
It is recommended that all power cables and extension leads be inspected on a regular basis, and either repaired or replaced as necessary.
Do not run cables beneath carpets or furniture since this can create a tripping hazard, cause the wires to overheat, or cause the cables to become crushed and broken.
Also, be careful about electric home appliances like washing machines or water heaters that may leak water or microwaves that keep tripping breakers as these may create hazardous situations.
6.Do Not Overload the Sockets
It is important to remember not to overload the sockets, as this is one of the most prevalent causes of electrical fires.
Always check to see that the sockets are cold to the touch before using them. And remember to never plug more than one device that generates heat into the multi-way sockets at the same time.
7.Keep Unused Cables Tidy and Secure
Electrical safety is important at all times, not just while wires are being used, therefore make sure that unused cables are kept organized and safe.
When you aren’t using them, you should make sure they are kept in a secure location. It is in your best interest not to wrap wires around items such as the plug for your laptop or your hairdryer since this might cause the cables to become stretched out and overheated.
Additionally, never place an electrical cable on a heated surface since doing so might cause harm to the cable’s insulation as well as the wiring that is contained within it.
8.Unplug All Unused Electronic Devices
An appliance that is unplugged is inherently safer than one that is still connected. Because even in standby mode, plugged-in gadgets continue to use power.
Thus, unplugging unused devices not only helps you to save money but also safeguards your electronics from damage caused by power surges or overheating.
If the plugs in your home are located in awkward places, such as behind bookshelves or couches, consider purchasing an energy-efficient extension bar or a smart plug to make accessing them easier.
9.Be Aware of Using Imported or Counterfeit Electronics
Avoid counterfeit goods and be aware of commodities purchased abroad or imported, as these may not necessarily comply with national safety regulations.
And avoid buying counterfeit electrical products, which are the main source of electrical shocks and fires. This also applies to batteries and chargers.
Try to purchase only authentic brand-name chargers for mobile devices, laptops, or electrical gadgets, preferably directly from the manufacturer or authorized dealers.
Final Words
The safety measures for mobile homes are more or less the same as regular homes. But the structure of the mobile home is a little different than the regular homes and for the unique structure of these homes, homeowners need to be conscious of electric safety.
