Childproof Electrical Outlets
At John's Electric, our goal and mission are to keep you and your family safe while using the great luxury of electricity. Electricity can be dangerous. It can cause electrical shock, electrical burn, electrocution, and fires. As dangerous as it is, it doesn’t have to be. If the electrical wiring and components that make up your electrical system are installed correctly, and to code, then many of these hazards can be eliminated.
Homes that were built before 2008 in Birmingham will have standard receptacles installed. These outlets are dangerous for your children and grandchildren because they can stick metal objects in them and get hurt.
Childproof Electrical Receptacles If you have kids, I’m sure you have seen those little plastic inserts that you install in outlets to keep your kids or your grandkids safe from electrical shock? They are a great invention, but now they have something even better, which is good because let’s face it; children somehow always find the smallest objects on the ground and go straight to the electrical receptacles.
Having to install the little plastic inserts can be somewhat of a hindrance. Anytime you want to use an outlet; you have to remove the plastic insert and plug in the desired appliance. When you’re done, you have to remember to install the plastic insert. Sometimes these inserts are hard to get out.
With that said, many parents have unfortunately forgotten to replace the plastic piece and children have been hurt and killed. Did you know in the US alone an average of seven children per day is treated from electrical shock or electrical burn caused by tampering with outlets?
The good news is that someone invented a childproof outlet. These outlets are also known or referred to as tamperproof or tamper resistant receptacles. These outlets have a specially designed piece of plastic built into the receptacle. Think of them as little locked doors. So when a child tries to insert small objects into the slots, they will not be able to. Each slot or door must be pushed in at the same time with the same amount of pressure for each slot. So if it’s not intended to go in, then it will not go in.
By code, homes of today must have tamper resistant receptacles installed. If you have standard receptacles in your home and have small children, then please call John's Electric today so we can help keep your family Safe!