A mistake that most of us are probably guilty of making is how we charge our mobile phones. Phone batteries have a habit of going flat at the most inconvenient of times.The best way to charge a phone is on a flat surface which is dry and free from soft furnishings. However, this can also mean that you might miss an important phone call or can't continue with that live chat in comfort!
This can lead to dangerous methods of phone charging which leaves the phone at risk of overheating and fire. A young girl was electrocuted whilst charging her phone as she was in the bath. This highlights why we do not have electrical sockets in the bathroom (that's for another blog post!).
When charging your phone can be dangerous?
As electricians in Sleaford, we have seen an increase in damaged sockets where the wrong type of charger ha been used when charging items such as smartphones.Typically this is when universal chargers are being used which are not compatible with the type of phone being charged.
When a cheap imitation or the wrong charger is used, it can cause expensive damage to the phone itself and your home electrics. It can even start a house fire or explode leaving you with serious burns. The socket quickly overheats and damages the wiring within the wall.
Charge your phone on a hard surface
Charging using a genuine phone charger is safe so long as the manufacturers instructions are followed. However this doesn't rule out an electrical fault developing which could still result in fire. This is why it is important that you charge your phone in a sensible location at all times.
If you suspect electrical damage has been caused by using an incorrect charger, please contact a qualified and registered electrician as soon as possible.
