Shield Your Home: Safeguarding Your Beloved Gadgets and Gizmos!

From the lounge to the kitchen, and from the garden to your vehicle, our homes and cars are filled with electrical gear, but are the items we possess secure?

Firefighters have collaborated with the local community safety team at Gosport Borough Council to provide complimentary Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) for residents’ devices.

On Tuesday, 14^th January, from 11am to 2pm, Gosport Fire Station will open its doors to the public, allowing them to bring in their small electrical devices for expert testing, with a free £10 voucher towards a replacement if their device does not pass.

An additional Portable Appliance Testing event is scheduled by Gosport Borough Council at the Town Hall on Saturday, 8^th March.

Station Manager Jason Boh stated:

“It is wonderful to collaborate with our partners at Gosport Borough Council and welcome the community while offering complimentary Portable Appliance Testing to aid in keeping residents secure within their homes.

“We all desire our devices to have a longer lifespan and operate safely, so it is essential that your electrical products are examined or serviced and properly registered with the manufacturer to guarantee you are informed if they are recalled.”

Ensure your electrical devices are registered

There are 40 million major appliances currently utilized in UK households which are unlikely to be recorded with the manufacturers. This implies that the proprietors of these items are unlikely to find out if the appliance in their residence has been subject to a recall for safety concerns.

Registering your electrical devices allows the manufacturer to easily reach you if your item proves to have a defect, poses a danger, or requires recalling.

Electrical products like chargers, hair dryers, straighteners, kettles, irons, and toasters are recalled more frequently than you might assume, yet many remain unregistered and continue to be utilized, putting their owners at risk of electrical shocks, fires, or even fatalities.

Every new electrical appliance purchased for your household should be registered, but if you haven’t registered your older items, it’s not too late.

With Register my Appliance Week (20-26 Jan) approaching, there’s no better moment to confirm you’ve registered all your electrical devices, particularly new gadgets you may have obtained during the festive season.

How can I register my appliances?

There should be documents accompanying the product detailing the registration process along with instructions on its use and maintenance.

If you have possessed the item for some time and misplaced the documentation, it is still feasible to register it. To register your product, you will need the brand name, model, serial number, and the purchase date (or as closely as you can recall).

AMDEA’s Register My Appliance portal offers a swift and simple solution with online access to over 70 prominent brands, most of which accept registrations for both new and older appliances.

Alternatively, The Electrical Safety Council provides data on electrical products that have been recalled since 2007. Verify electrical product recalls to ensure your residence is secure.