The safe and efficient use of electricity in the home is important for your family’s welfare and may assist you to reduce electricity usage.

Follow these simple tips for keeping electrical appliances and equipment in good working order and making your home safe:

• Never use an ageing or faulty electrical appliance, including an appliance with a frayed cord, cracked or broken plug, or any appliance that has given someone any kind of shock. Frayed or damaged cords should be replaced immediately or the appliance disposed of. Many old plugs do not have safety barriers between the connections – replace them with modern plugs or dispose of the appliance.
• Do not attempt to repair faulty electrical appliances yourself – only qualified repairman or a licensed electrician can repair appliances
• Do not touch or attempt to repair a loose, cracked or broken power point switch – cover it immediately and arrange for a licensed electrician to replace it
• Service appliances in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
• Clean the lint filter in your clothes dryer after each use
• Check electric blankets at the start of each winter for damaged wires, plugs, leads and hot spots – dispose of any electric blanket that is damaged
• Remove any build-up of materials around the electric motor of exhaust fans, such as fluff, dust, lint etc
• Clean rangehood filters regularly
• Clean ovens and cooktops regularly to prevent the build-up of spilled fats and burnt foods
• Do not spray household cleaners, detergents and insecticides on electrical accessories – they may cause cracking and create an electrical hazard.

Energy efficiency

When purchasing household electrical appliances, look for the Energy Rating Label (ERL) to help you select the most efficient appliance – this may assist you to reduce your electricity usage.

Energy Rating Labels are designed to make the energy efficiency of a product a key feature in its selection, and improve the energy efficiency of appliances and products in all sectors. Household electrical appliances that must carry energy labels include:

• televisions
• refrigerators
• dishwashers
• clothes washers and dryers
• air conditioners
• water heaters