Electrical components cause millions in damages

Posted 2007-11-29

For years, devices like electric blankets and oil radiators have been used by Britons to fend off the cold. However, nearly £3.3 million in damages are reported by homeowners every winter, according to Abbey - as heating appliances prove faulty and ignite fires annually.

Electrical appliances are always tested and designed to prevent fires at the time of their manufacture. However, over time, safety measures in these devices can become outdated and even the best preventative measures can prove fallible.

Prasad Shastri, head of insurance marketing offered, “It is important that they [electrical appliances] are checked prior to use to ensure that they are not faulty and that they are used correctly otherwise they could prove to be very dangerous.”

In terms of such danger, Abbey puts electric blankets at the top of the list since they are the cause of 5,000 fires each year. Perhaps less frequent, but more of a financial risk, are oil radiators which generate an average of £809 in damages with each fire they cause.

In addition to the danger they pose, some electrical heating devices only serve a small area of the house while other solutions give comfort to the entire family and decrease the over-all cost of electricity. Instant heating elements can often be the culprit of higher electrical bills.

Ofgem, an energy and gas regulation organisation, recommends installing more long-term solutions, such as insulation to reduce dependence on temporary heating devices. Customers who invest in cavity wall insulation find themselves with savings of up to £100 per year, points out Ofgem, and the cost of installation can be easily covered by a homeowner loan. With a small investment, any home cannot only become safer, but save a substantial amount of money over the years.

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