If your power strip isn’t long enough, you might be tempted to plug it into another one, creating a daisy chain of power strips. It may seem like good problem solving, but trust us, it isn’t. Doing so can end in disaster - it can cause one or more of the strips to fail or even catch on fire. For that reason, plugging two power strips together is against about half a dozen regulations in a professional setting.
This one may sound obvious, but many are still guilty of doing it from time to time. Every power strip has a load capacity, which means it can only move so much power through its circuits at any given time. Overloading the strip can create a fire hazard, melt the plastic, and damage your home as well as any surrounding equipment. If you’re not sure how much your power strip can take, try to calculate the amperage requirements of everything you’re going to plug into it.
Related: 12 Amazing Fire Safety Tips
As electricity moves, the electrons can generate heat. If the power strip is in an enclosed space, under the rug, for example, this accumulation can create a fire hazard. Moreover, if you accidentally step on the power strip or any of the attached power cables because they’re out of sight, you can damage them or worse, get an electric shock.
Appliances like hairdryers, curling irons, hair straighteners, and other beauty tools all work by generating heat, and in order to be able to do it, they draw quite a bit of amperage. Power strips aren’t designed to generate that kind of consistently high amperage, so such beauty tools should be plugged into an outlet.
There are certain power strips that are designed for use outdoors. Unless the label specifically states it, do not try to use a regular power strip outside, it’s not designed to stand up to weather and water. Keep it indoors and find one suitable for the elements.
Related: 9 Dangerous House Smells You Should Never Ignore
Knowing a power strip should never get wet is common sense, electricity and water do not mix. A mistake some might make without realizing is using a power strip in an environment that might become damp, like a basement. Another thing that might lead to a water-related accident is plugging your sump pump into a power strip. Better go with an outlet that’s well above floor level in case the sump pump fails and flooding occurs.
Coffee makers, microwaves, and toasters - all of those modern cooking miracles that make our lives easy should never be plugged into a power strip. Just like hair care appliances, kitchen devices usually generate heat. The coffee maker needs to produce enough heat to turn those beans into liquid, not to mention all the energy a microwave needs to thaw, reheat, and speedily cook food. A power strip just can’t provide this amount of energy, thus these appliances need their own dedicated power outlets.
Share these important safety tips with friends and family
11 Things That Could Seriously Harm Your Washing Machine
As useful as they are, washing machines are not invincible, and some items can cause them damage or be unfit for machine washing. Here are 11 of them.
SAFETY TIPS: What To Do When You Encounter A Wolf
In this important video, an expert breaks down wolf behavior and explains what you should do in the event of a wolf encounter in the wild.
When the Power Is Down, Follow These Guidelines
It's important to know what to do during a long power outage to keep yourself, your home, and your family safe. Here are some essential tips.
13 Foods You Should Never Put In the Blender
Blender can be an amazing kitchen asset, but there are a number of foods you should never put in the blender, to avoid harming the appliance and your meal.
5 Ways You Might Be Attracting Termites to Your Home
A termite infestation is unpleasant, to say the least. Here are 5 ways you could be attracting these destructive bugs into your home.
Cleaning Tips: Keep the Dish Soap AWAY From These Things
While dish soap can be very efficient for certain cleaning tasks, there are materials you should never clean with dish soap, or you risk damaging them.
11 Uses of Nail Polish Remover That'll Surprise You
Nail polish remover does not only do what its name suggests. In fact, it has many other surprising uses, and here are 11 of them.
10 Natural Remedies That Actually Work
Not Feeling well? We recommend that you think outside the box, or in this case outside the medicine cabinet with the following 10 effective natural medicines!
Discover 6 Easy Ways to Clean a Home with Hydrogen Peroxide
We all want to see our homes clean and sparkling, and it turns out that with hydrogen peroxide - something we all have at home- this can be done with ease!
10 of the Fastest-Growing Vegetables
There is a variety of fast-growing vegetables, including legumes, leafy greens, and root vegetables. We feature 10 of the fastest-growing veggies in this article.
10 Amazing Beauty Uses for Banana Peels
Everyone knows that bananas are great for your health, but not many people know that the peel can be beneficial too and should be added to your beauty regime.
Imitation Foods Aren’t All Bad – Here Are 6 Safe Options
Imitation foods aren’t always bad. Some of them are actually good, while some are avoidable.
10 Foods that Naturally Whiten Your Teeth
There's nothing like a pearly white smile and healthy teeth, and with these 10 wonderful foods, you can achieve these without the need for harsh chemicals!
7 Cleaning Mistakes Most of Us Still Make
All of these 7 cleaning mistakes are extremely common, and what’s worse, all of them can completely ruin your hard work while cleaning
15 Smart Alternative Uses for Bubble Wrap No One Told You
Bubble wrap can do much more than help you move!
Shop Smart! How to Recognize Good or Poor Quality Clothes
This informative guide will explain the 5 major ways of spotting a poor and high quality garments
4 Smart Ways to Keep Your Herbs Fresh
To help keep your herbs fresh and delicious for longer, we've compiled four tips for you.
Genius Hotel and Packing Tricks You’ll Surely Appreciate
These invaluable tricks will help you get around 18 common traveling problems, particularly those that deal with hotels and luggage packing...
50 Ways to Unwind Without Spending a Cent
Here are 50 different ways to help you unwind which are totally free of charge.
The Right Way to Fold a Sweater and Keep it Lasting Longer
This guide will teach you exactly how to fold your sweaters.
These YouTube Channels Are a Delight for Senior Citizens
Discover the best YouTube channels for seniors that offer a plethora of engaging and entertaining content.
Senior Health Guide: Working Out With Weights
Every senior must watch this video.
Here's Why You Should Never Wear Shoes Inside Your House
Here are 7 reasons why you should get into the habit of taking your shoes off before you enter your house!
The Genius Ways to Wrap Awkwardly Shaped Gifts
To save yourself a little money, and to help you get a tad more creative this festive season, we've got the perfect solution for you.
Those Stickers On Your Produce Can Tell You an Awful Lot!
The stickers that you find on fruit and vegetables can tell you an awful lot about how the produce was grown. Read on to find out more.
How to Reduce that Puffiness Your Face Gets in the Morning
Get to know the 6 most effective ways we were able to find to treat a swollen face in the morning.
10 Great Skin & Hair Treatments You Can Make with a Cucumber
Cucumbers have a whole range of benefits for your skin and hair. Here are some cheap and simple products that really work, and you can make them all at home.
10 Signs You Have a High Level of Intelligence
If you find yourself relating to these characteristics, it is possible that you possess an exceptional level of intelligence...
Vodka Has Many More Uses Than You Ever Imagined!
Vodka is not just for use when you need a drink. Here are 16 uses for the Russian beverage that you've undoubtedly never thought of.
If You See a Baby Choking, Do You Know What To Do?
If you see a baby choking, do you know what to do? This guide explains.
Learn the Self-Massage That Treats Back And Neck Pain
Many muscle aches, including back and neck pain, result from muscle bonds called "trigger points" - today you'll learn how to identify and treat these points.
This DIY Shampoo Bar is Easy to Make and Great for Hair
Why harm your hair with toxic chemicals when you can make a natural shampoo bar at home?
Discover How to Use Turmeric to Remove Unwanted Hair
Turmeric is a wonderful spice from India that has a whole myriad of different applications. Here's how to make 5 turmeric-based masks for unwanted hair removal.
Your Ultimate Guide to Wearing that Suit!
A beginner's guide to wearing a suit the right way.
13 Things to Do Immediately if Your Home Has Been Burgled
Has your house been broken into recently? This guide will help.
Do You Know How to Use a Tape Measure? Are You SURE?
The humble tape measure is a more sophisticated tool than you thought...
Exploring the Fascinating History of Popcorn!
exploring the history and evolution of this irresistible snack - popcorn!
29 Psychological Tricks that Make You Spend More Money!
What are the psychological tactics used by salespeople, marketers, and retailers that make us buy more?
Why Buy Candles When You Can Make Your Own at Home?
Why spend money on expensive candles when you can easily make your own? This guide will show you how.
Feeling Drowsy After Lunch? Here’s How To Control It
Do you often find yourself feeling a little sleepy after lunch everyday? Then these tips might help you control that.
Make These Baby Products Naturally at Home!
To help you create your own natural remedies for your little one, we suggest trying out the following homemade "recipes".
What an Amazing Laundry Whitening Solution This Is!
It's always hard to get stains from white fabrics, isn't it? Not any more! Check out this brilliant whitening solution for your laundry you can make at home!
Life Tips: How to Take Back Control from Unbearable People
Are selfish people driving you up the wall? This handy guide will help you to identify a selfish person, and show you how to effectively deal with them.
Some Tips You Might Not Know About Whisky
If you're a lover of whisky and would like to know how best to drink it, the guide will cover everything you need to know!
Lost a Key and Need to Pick a Lock? Do This!
Need to pick a lock? Here's how to do it.
19 Household Items You Need to Change Now
It's high time you change these household items.
5 Sitting Positions and What They Say About You
This guide will help you understand the meaning behind five common sitting positions that you may encounter in your daily life.