Whether you are in an apartment or you are the owner of your own house, you are probably still having the same problem. There are never enough sockets to connect all your devices and devices.
Air fries, radiators and other high power devices should never be connected to extensions, electric strips or overvoltages. This can overload the cord and create a risk of fire. Paul Martinez, owner of NYC electrified in Brooklyn, is clear on the subject: “No extension is what is,” he says, specifically referring to the devices that are constantly running or count on a heating element.
If you do not know which devices should be connected directly to the wall, we have gathered seven of the most important to keep in mind. Know the difference between what is safe and what cannot help you protect your home and your peace of mind.
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Learn more: Best overvoltage protector
1. Air Fryers
Air fries are ideal for cooking and quickly reheating food, including full meals and accompanying dishes, but it is not a good idea to fix them with extensions or electric strips. Although they go in power depending on the size, large air fries can pull up to 2,000 watts, which makes a risk of major fire if they are attached to an extension. If you do not have a counter space to keep your fryer full -time in full time, it is better to remove it when needed and plug it into a dedicated wall outlet each time.
2. Microwaves
Many houses have an integrated microwave, but not everyone has this functionality. If you have to find a place to connect yours in your kitchen, it is another heavy camera that should live on its own dedicated circuit due to its high power.
3. Extension ralls
Connecting extensions to other extensions is another huge “no” in the electric world. This practice, called “chaining of marguerites”, can lead to overheating of the circuit, which would cause ropes overheating and cause fire.
The extensions should never be connected to each other.
4.
Electric radiators have been known for a long time to be a major cause of fires. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said that between 2017 and 2019, portable radiators were involved in 1,700 fires per year, some of these fires resulting in deaths.
“Let’s say you log [an extension cord] For a state heater, “said Martinez:” The plug melts and it starts a fire. This is why you cannot use extensions and / or power bands for devices, as they should only be used for electronics. “”
Find out more: Never put a radiator in these 9 places
5. Tasters and Goaster ovens
Although the toaster are smaller kitchen devices, they use a lot of energy and can also constitute a threat of fire if they are connected to an extension or a power band. Grille-Pain ovens still need power to operate, with a power ranging from 1,200 to 1,400 watts.
“Many people have no knowledge of extensions,” says Martinez. “If the extensions are caliber 14 and you use a device with a heating element, (like) a toaster, a microwave or a dishwasher, a 14 caliber will not hold the amperage and can burn the extension extension. And this is what causes fires in New York.”
The fourteen extensions of caliber and caliber 12 are among the most common extensions. A caliber 14 cord can manage up to 1800 watts, or 15 amps, such as a standard wall outlet in the United States. But Martinez recommends that any device using more than 1,500 watts is still on a dedicated circuit.
6. Refrigerators
While refrigerators use less energy – about 300 to 800 watts – that some other kitchen devices, they are still not recommended for the use of the extension because they are constantly working. Even if an extension does not cause a fire when it is fixed at a refrigerator, the connection can cause refrigerator dysfunction.
Although they are not as powerful as other kitchen devices, you should always avoid connecting the refrigerators to extensions.
7. Air conditioning units
AC units use a lot of power to keep your home cool, so they must be connected to a wall outlet. Martinez highlights the importance of buying the right air conditioning unit for your space. You can use an online BTU calculator to calculate the type you will need to effectively cool your space.
“People simply buy an air conditioner of 5,000 BTU, because it’s $ 99 on sale, and they think it will cool off (their house), and that is not the case,” said Martinez. The AC units “are supposed to cycle, so they do not shoot so much energy. So, if you underdimes it, the compressor will work 10 times harder.” This may cause your house never to cool properly, a higher electricity bill, and if the unit is connected to an extension, perhaps a fire.
It is important to determine the size of the air conditioner unit you need according to the size of the area you are trying to cool.
The bottom line on extensions
Martinez says that the great thing to keep in mind with regard to extensions is never to use them with “household appliances”. He also says that your average house extension extensions should not be used for something more than 15 amps (1,800 watts), regardless of the place or how the operation of the device. With electric strips and overvoltage protectors, they should only be associated with electronics.
For more home advice, here is how to defend yourself against porch pirates and here is how to purify your air with indoor plants.
