A warning has been issued to anyone using an extension plug (Image: Alex Evans)
Households up and down the UK have been busting out the extension cables this week as Christmas lights, decorations and the usual cookers, air fryers and hoovers are all running at once in jam-packed households getting ready for Christmas.
But an electrician has warned households about the dangers of using extension plugs, which cause as many as 7,000 fires a year.
An electrician from urges households to take extra care trying to plug in more appliances over Christmas because of the huge risks brought about by overloaded sockets and extension socket no-nos.
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They said: “Extension cables left coiled up and overloaded sockets and adapters can also dramatically increase the risk of fires. The extra sockets used for Christmas lights and decorations, plus extra guests needing to plug in appliances can increase the chances of an electrical fire.
“Another risk is the use of cheap Christmas lights and other electrical goods that fail to meet UK safety regulations.
“Every year more than 7,000 house fires in the UK are caused by faulty electrics, appliances, wiring and overloaded sockets. Data shows that December is the month that sees the most house fires caused by electrical issues.”
Electrician Jonathan Steed, who has a five star rating and more than 1,000 reviews on , said: “Christmas is a lovely time of year, but we need to be mindful of the risks. It’s important to take precautions around electrics – get it wrong and you’re facing broken appliances, shorted electric circuits, and potentially fires.
“For example, connecting multiple extension cords together can cause a build-up of heat which can become a fire hazard. This also creates higher resistance within the cables and increases the risk of equipment getting damaged. If too many appliances are plugged into the socket, the breaker will trip due to overloading in the circuit.
“There’s no need for the festive period to pose a risk to any of us as long as we are sensible about what we do and closely follow safety recommendations. The pennies you can save by cutting corners or compromising on quality aren’t worth the risk to your property or yourself – and if you mess around with electricity you are literally playing with fire.”
He added that you need to make sure you use the right type of extension plug and use plugs with an integrated fuse.
He continued: “Whilst it is always best to keep to one plug per socket, the extra requirement of Christmas can make this impossible. Avoid block adaptors and choose a multi-socket extension lead with integral fuse. To avoid overloading, use a plug capacity calculator to see what is safe. There are many online calculators that will allow you to work out what your sockets can cope with.”