It’s Dangerous For These Appliances To Share An Outlet
It’s easy to think that as long as there is an empty plug on the wall, you can just plug something in. We have so many wonderful gadgets to make our lives easier these days. But all it takes is a scary little tripped breaker to make you realize how delicate our home electrical systems actually are. It turns out that some of our favorite heavy duty appliances really hate sharing space. Let us talk about the combinations that can actually become dangerous.
Your Coffee Maker And Air Fryer
Mornings are chaotic and we all want our coffee and breakfast at the exact same time. But both of these popular kitchen gadgets draw a massive amount of electricity to create heat super quickly. If you plug them into the exact same wall outlet you are practically begging your circuit breaker to trip. The wires inside the wall can overheat under that much pressure. It is always best to run them on opposite sides of the kitchen.
The Microwave And Toaster Oven
Counter space is always tight in a kitchen. It feels completely natural to sit the microwave right next to the little toaster oven and plug them into the same spot. However, both of these machines draw huge surges of power the moment you press the start button. If someone tries to warm up soup while another person is toasting bread the outlet simply cannot handle the demand. Give each of these powerful appliances their own dedicated plug.
A Refrigerator And Chest Freezer
It’s common to have a spare fridge and a deep freezer sitting next to each other in the garage. It seems so convenient to plug them into the same outlet. But compressors take an enormous bite of power every time they cycle on to keep your food cold. If both heavy compressors happen to kick on at the exact same second they will overload the outlet instantly. That can trip the power and ruin all your frozen groceries before you have a chance to notice.
The Washing Machine And Dryer
Doing laundry takes a lot of energy and so it’s no surprise to see these appliances on this list. The washing machine uses a heavy motor to agitate the water while the dryer uses intense heat to dry your clothes. Most people know electric dryers need a special large plug anyway. But even if you have a gas dryer that uses a standard plug, it should never share a basic outlet with your washing machine. They both just need too much dedicated power to share.
Space Heaters And Literally Anything Else
When the house gets chilly, a portable space heater feels like a cozy miracle. But electricians will tell you that space heaters are actually notorious for causing house fires when used incorrectly. They pull a continuous and extreme amount of electricity to keep those metal coils glowing hot. You should never plug a space heater into an extension cord or a power strip. They must always go directly into a wall outlet that has nothing else plugged into it.
A Hair Dryer And Curling Iron
If you have long hair, getting ready for a night out usually involves a lot of hot styling tools. We often leave the hair dryer plugged in while the curling iron heats up right next to it, especially if more than one person is getting ready at the same time. Bathrooms are notoriously tricky because those styling tools use just as much electricity as a kitchen microwave. If you run them both from the exact same outlet your bathroom lights will probably flicker before the breaker pops. Try using them one at a time instead.
Window Air Conditioners And Other Heavy Electronics
A window air conditioner is an absolute lifesaver during a sticky summer week. But that constant blast of cold air takes a huge toll on your electrical system. Because the motor runs for hours at a time, the plug and the wires can actually get physically warm to the touch. You should never plug a television or a vacuum cleaner into the same outlet while the AC is running. The risk of an electrical fire is just too high.
Related Articles
-Never Plug These 8 Kitchen Appliances Into A Power Strip (It's Dangerous!)
-Electricians Say You Should Always Unplug These 7 Household Items Before Bed
-Why Your GFCI Outlet Won't Reset and What You Can Do About It
It is honestly a little bit eye opening to realize how much our home electrical outlets do every single day. Taking a few minutes to rearrange where your heavy appliances live can give you so much peace of mind. You will not have to worry about resetting a dark kitchen breaker or dealing with melted wires ever again. Let’s keep our homes safe while enjoying all our favorite modern conveniences, but in a smarter way.
Bliss Donahue-Power
