Some house fires are caused by simple electrical mistakes that could have been easily avoided. All electrical devices are not meant to work together; hence, when you plug two different devices, gadgets, or home appliances that are not meant to work together into a single outlet, it can cause a fire outbreak.
What happens is that when this wrong combination occurs, it can cause overheating of the devices, power surges, overloading of the circuit, and melting of the electrical wiring, which can lead to electrical fires.
2 Devices that you Shouldn’t Plug Together
In this section, we are going to look at two different devices that you shouldn’t plug together. If you mistakenly plug them together, you risk a fire outbreak in your house. They are discussed below.
1. Electric Iron and Water Heater
You should not plug an electric iron and a water heater together because both are high-energy appliances. Electric irons draw between 1,000 and 2,000 watts, while water heaters draw between 1,000 and 3,000 watts, so if you plug two of these devices together, it may risk a fire outbreak.
Why you Should Not Plug an Electric Iron and Water Heater Together
The reasons why it is not advisable to plug electric iron and water heater together in an extension are
- It can lead to overheating of the power strips or extension cords
- It lead to overload of the electrical wiring
- It can melt the plug or socket due to high current drainage
- They can create a gap in an electric circuit when plugged into power strips, leading to sparks or flames, which may lead to fire outbreaks.
2. Microwave and Refrigerator
Another two devices that you shouldn’t plug together are a microwave and a refrigerator. Both of them require high startup current; hence, if you plug them into the same extension or outlet, it can cause voltage drops, which may lead to a fire outbreak.
3. Space Heater and Electric Kettle
If you plug a space heater and an electric kettle into the same power strips or outlets, you risk fire. Both the space heater and the electric kettle draw between 1,500 and 3,000 watts, which is very high. So, if you run them together, it can lead to overloading of circuits, which can cause a fire outbreak.
4. Washing Machine and Electric Iron
A washing machine and electric iron are two other devices on our list that you shouldn’t plug together. If you plug two of them together, it can lead to fire outbreak
A washing machine uses motors and heating, while an electric iron draws heavy current, so if you plug both of them together, it can trip the circuit breaker and overheat internal wires, which can lead to a fire outbreak.
5. Toaster and Blender
The last two devices on our list that shouldn’t be together to avoid a fire outbreak are the toaster and blender. If you plug them together, it can cause a fire outbreak in your house.
Toasters heat coils very fast, while blenders use high motor torque, so if you plug them together in the same extension or socket, their combined load will exceed 15 amps, which predisposes your house to a fire outbreak.
Best Ways to Use these Devices
To avoid fire outbreaks in your home when using these devices listed above, you should do the following:
- Plug the high-wattage appliances directly into the wall.
- Use quality and heavy-duty extension cords only when necessary, and don’t use them for long period of time.
- Inspect your plugs and cords regularly to detect wear and tear, and if you see any, fix them immediately.
- Install a smoke detector near rooms with heavy electrical use to help you get signal when fire want to break out in your house
- Unplug your devices and appliances when you are not using them.
Conclusion
There are many 2 different devices that you shouldn’t plug together in the same extension or power strip to avoid fire outbreaks, like electric irons and water heaters, toasters and blenders, space heaters and electric kettles, microwaves and refrigerators, etc. If you plug any of these high-wattage appliances together, you risk a fire outbreak in your house.