Electrical Safety in Kids Bedrooms

Where children are concerned you probably think you’ve got all your bases covered. After all, you know how important the safety of your children’s lives are, and you’ve got to make sure all bases are covered. But the question is - are they?

When it comes to electrical safety, are we as safe as we could be or are there still hidden dangers lying in wait? 

More gadgets, more risk.

Let’s face it, there are more appliances and gadgets available than ever before, and your children will have access to a lot of them, with access to the majority of them in their own bedrooms. No matter how tech superior their knowledge is, most teenagers will inadvertently place themselves in danger where electrics are concerned and that can happen simply by leaving phones, laptops and tablets on all night. 

Don’t leave gadgets on all night underneath your bedding.

Admit it, we’re all guilty of it because what’s easier than just leaving your phone, laptop or tablet plugged in all night on the bedding where you can access it when you need to. Apart from the fact it’s bad for you, and especially bad for a child to be staring at a screen at 2am in the morning when they can’t sleep, it can also be a health hazard. If you’ve ever noticed a phone or tablet go hot when it’s plugged in on the bedding or stuffed under your pillow it’s because there’s nowhere for the heat to go. 

Basically it gets hotter and hotter, and as it does so it can reach the point of catching fire, putting property, furnishings, and most importantly people, in grave danger.

Make sure your children understand the dangers.

If your children are in the habit of doing this, then make sure they know to only charge their phones, tablets and laptops on hard surfaces. They should never charge anything on soft bedding, and especially not under a pillow. It’s also a good idea not to charge anything overnight. 

Switch off at night.

At night it might be a good idea to get everyone at home to get into the habit of switching everything off at night, as well as being safer it will also save you in energy bills. 

Correct chargers for the right brands.

Make sure you use the right chargers for the right brand. Unbranded chargers may be cheaper but they are more likely to cause an electrical fire. They must satisfy safety regulations in whichever country you reside in, so everything you need to charge is done so safely.

Check for damage and scorch marks.

Always make sure you check the sockets, the cables and any plugs for signs of damage, if they appear damaged then do not use them. It’s also important to remember not to overload any plug sockets, and never leave liquids near live electrical sockets.

VC Electrical - for electrical jobs both big and small

If you have any further questions about what we’ve discussed today, or have any other questions or concerns around electrics, why not contact us here at VC Electrical, where one of our qualified and experienced electricians in Edinburgh can talk you through your concerns, We can also send someone out to you to assess any problems you may have if we feel it’s necessary. We’re always happy to help.