Why You Need to Think Twice Before Switching on Your New TV

Have you seen the latest OLED TVs, with ultra-thin design and huge screens? Get one of these for your entertainment centre, bolt on a few more accessories and you can have a fantastic home theatre experience. Many people want the latest technology and cannot wait to sample the very best, but don't necessarily consider how they are going to hook it all together. If you've got a wide range of electrical components in your living room, what do you need to consider before you boot everything up?

Switching on the Power

While the very latest homes have a surfeit of electrical outlets in their main living area, older homes do not take into account the electronic revolution of the modern day. This is why many people opt to pick up a range of extension cords at the same time as they are loading up those big screen TVs. You need to understand their limitations, however, so that there is no risk of electrical fire or shock.

Do's and Don'ts

Fundamentally, extension cords shouldn't be used as a long-term substitute for properly wired outlets. If you really are setting up a state-of-the-art home entertainment centre, you need to pull in an electrician to add some outlets. It's also not a good idea to put a range of different appliances on one single extension cord, even though that type of cord is widely available.

Don't be tempted to try to"hide" the ceiling cords by tucking them away in a restricted area. With poor airflow, a lot of heat can build up in these items and it could trigger an electrical fire.

Many people try to"arrange" their cords by attaching them to pieces of furniture or walls with nails and staples. When you do this, the wires within the cord could be damaged and you can even drive a nail into electrical wires that are hidden elsewhere.

While it's not a good idea to hide everything away, you should always ensure nevertheless that cords are not run across walkways or areas where people may trip up and hurt themselves.

Removing the Grounding Pin

It's amazing to what lengths some people go to when trying to switch all of their newly bought goodies on, as quickly as possible. Some people will remove the third "prong" of a plug (which is the grounding connector) in order to fit that device into a two pronged extension cord. This is very dangerous, so make sure that that person isn't YOU!

Don't Extend Your Extension

Finally, never be tempted to join two different extension cords together to try and reach a faraway outlet. When doing so, you may experience an overall drop in the delivered voltage, which could cause an overload without any warning.

Safety First Always

Have a word with an electrician who can help you install a range of fully functional outlets in the right locations. Enjoy those movies on your new big-screen in absolute safety.

Contact an electrical contractor for more advice.

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