Overnight phone charging may lead to fires, caution experts
Charging mobile devices overnight is not only a habit adopted by people in Poland but is common elsewhere. Most of us do it to ensure our devices are fully charged in the morning. Nevertheless, experts warn that this practice carries significant risks.
8:06 AM EST, December 30, 2023
The repercussions of such a practice span several concerns. Primarily, there's the potential for an electrical short circuit, which could, in extreme cases, lead to a fire. The journey from a short circuit to a fire can be incredibly short.
- Fires caused by appliances like kettles and coffee machines have been a consistent problem for firefighters. Therefore, as a preventative measure, we should disconnect them from the power supply when we sleep or leave the house. Many of these are plastic devices on wooden countertops that are susceptible to a short circuit that can cause a fire. Moreover, mobile phones charged overnight are often left in the bedding, near the bed, which is neither thoughtful nor safe - warned experts.
With the increasing number of electrical devices in our homes, the use of extension cords and splitters has grown accordingly. Unfortunately, overloading is easy to occur as each socket has its capacity limitations.
Overheating can occur when too many devices are connected to a single socket. Moreover, a charging phone covered with a blanket or duvet could overheat beyond permissible standards, increasing the fire risk.
Hence, it's a good idea to proceed with caution. It's best to charge mobile devices during the day while also being careful not to connect too many devices to a single socket. Practicing such simple precautions can significantly heighten our safety.
