When we talk about gas and electricity, it can be easy to take them for granted as things we just have and that work when we want them. However, there’s an important factor to consider when we talk energy – using gas and electric COULD be dangerous!
Let’s take electric, for example – everyone knows that electricity and water don’t mix, but have you ever considered how dangerous leaving your wet clothes on a radiator can be (spoiler alert – it’s pretty risky).
How about the risk of having your phone on charge while you use it in the bath? Dropping your phone in the bath on its own won’t usually cause you any harm, but if it’s done when plugged into a wall socket, your bath can become a dangerous place. (Top tip – keep your phone out of the bathroom – steam can affect the insides and it’s just safer to keep electronics and water as far from each other as possible).
And then there’s risk to us if we buy products that aren’t properly safety tested. It’s estimated that one in ten IT products bought every day is fake. If a company is selling fake branded electronics, it’s unlikely they’ve tested them to the safety standards that would usually protect us. I can personally vouch for this – I once bought a cheap charger from an online store that LITERALLY blew up (went bang!!) once it was plugged in. I went back to buying from reputable shops at that point.
Gas provides a whole other set of risks – a gas build up can quickly turn into an explosion with a single spark of electric. This is why gas smells – they add a scent to make sure you can tell when you might have a gas leak. Most people are aware of the risks of a gas leak and know to call for help if it happens.
However, there is another issue with gas – Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning. If you have damaged or faulty equipment, you may have CO filling your home. The danger here is you can’t taste, or see, or smell this type of gas, so it’s harder to tell when it’s an issue for you. You should ensure you have an up-to-date Gas Safety Check and ideally grab yourself a CO alarm – they work like fire alarms but alert you to CO build up instead, potentially saving your life.
Whether you’ve never thought about the dangers of your energy use or need a refresher, join us on Thursday, 24th March for the second of our special My Moneycast episodes where we’ll be discussing all the dangers electric and gas may bring and providing a range of top tips to help you stay safe and warm when using energy.
You can also find part 1 – looking at energy costs and how you can get help – on our YouTube page.
If you have any questions, you can email them ahead of our broadcast to Nick@MyBnk.org – and as always, you can always ask questions on YouTube live during the show.
Hope to see you then!
Nick
