Is your home safe from an electrical fire? An estimated 28,300 residential building electrical fires occurred each year between 2003 and 2005, resulting in 360 deaths, 1,000 injuries, and $995 million in losses, according to the United States Fire Administration.

Nearly half (47%) of these electrical fires, where equipment was involved, were started from wires overheating, causing their insulation to melt and ignite. Many of our homes are built with materials and methods of wiring that cannot sufficiently handle the heat build-up from the electrical demands of a typical household in the 21st Century. Heat-producing electrical equipment such as hair dryers, portable heaters and cooking appliances, use significantly more power than other electrical equipment. These devices may overload a circuit, especially one that is already reaching its maximum amperage allowance. Coupled with faulty circuit breakers and poorly wired outlets, this overload can cause the products to overheat and possibly to catch fire.