Well-meaning, but a fire hazard: what you should definitely watch out for with power strips

A fire can break out quickly. But the reasons for this are not always clear at first glance. Because even if you are very careful with candles or open fire in general, other fire hazards are not immediately obvious. Defective smartphone, e-bike or laptop batteries can cause a fire.

However, multiple sockets are much more dangerous and generally underestimated: usually most sockets are open 3000 to 3500 watts designed. If you exceed this value, the power strips overload and may cause a fire. Appliances that consume a lot of electricity should therefore not be plugged into a power strip. These include, for example, washing machines, household grills, fan heaters and dishwashers. But you also need to be careful with other devices. A hair dryer alone, for example, can consume 1,000 watts.

What you absolutely have to pay attention to is the power strip keep away from dust. Indeed, the accumulated dust can ignite even with small sparks, causing a fire.

What you should also absolutely avoid is the multiple for connecting power strips in series. It can also be dangerous to put power strips behind hide it in furniture or even in boxes. Power strips also have no place in damp rooms (eg bathrooms).

But no matter how careful you are, a fire can still break out. Next to a smoke detectorwhich is mandatory in Germany anyway, you should also have one fire extinguisher at your fingertips – however, not all models are suitable for all types of fire.

We show you the differences in the following table – including examples of recommendations for the respective fire class. Some fire extinguishers support multiple classes of fire at the same time. It also partly depends on whether the fire extinguisher is foam or powder.

powder or foam?

In general, if possible, the powder should not be used in the house or apartment, since the mixture settles even in the smallest corners and is very difficult to remove. Powder extinguishers are therefore more intended for the garage or basement. A foam fire extinguisher is therefore suitable for inhabited interiors.