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’Tis the Season for Extension Cords

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'Tis the season to unpack the extension cords and plug way too many devices into them. Decorating for Christmas with lights, inflatable lawn ornaments, projectors and music might lead festive families to commit safety blunders—and chief among them is the misuse of extension cords.

Here are 10 tips from Electrical Safety Foundation International for using extension cords properly this holiday season.

1. Never plug an extension cord into another extension cord. They’re not designed for that kind of electrical load.
2. Choose an extension cord designed for outdoor use if you plan to use it outside. 
3. Inspect your cords for damage, like cracks and loose wires. If they’re not in good shape, replace them.
4. Avoid hiding an extension cord under a rug. The cord could overheat and set the rug on fire.
5. Buy cords only if they’re approved by UL or another independent testing laboratory.
6. Keep cords away from water and snow.
7. Instead of nailing or stapling cords to your gutters or walls when you use them to power strands of holiday lights, use plastic hangers that won’t puncture the cords.
8. Don’t remove the third prong of a three-prong plug to force it into a two-prong outlet. Instead, buy an adapter.
9. Put your extension cords away with your holiday decorations. They’re designed for temporary, not permanent, use.
10. Avoid overloading a multiple-slot extension cord with too many devices. That cord has to plug into an outlet that can overheat if you overload it

Posted: 11/24/2022 9:52:06 AM
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