MPI asks people to check their extension cord and block heater plug
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$1 per week for 24 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.75/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 24/01/2012 (5019 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
The next time you plug in the car this winter take a look at the extension cord and block heater.
Manitoba Public Insurance is asking people to double-check the condition of the cord and the block heater plug. A cracked or damaged cord can result in “electrical arcing” which can lead to a fire, says Clem Cormier, manager of MPI’s special investigations unit.
“Many vehicle owners should (also) take a few seconds to also inspect the block heater plug,” Cormier said in a release. “If the plug in is broken, or has obvious corrosion, it should be replaced immediately.”
MPI says roughly 1,000 vehicles are damaged by fire each year, with several dozen of these blazes taking place in the winter months thanks to faulty cords and car-warming plugs. To help guard against this unwanted heat, MPI offers the following safety suggestions:
- Do not to plug in your vehicles inside a garage or any other enclosed structure.
- Do not drive over your extension cord. It will crack the cable or compromise the plug. Another handy tip: Try to avoid dragging the cord alongside the car on the way into work. Funny for other drivers, yes, but it damages the cord.
- The block heater plug should have a protective cover. Use it. Don’t have one? Get one.
- Do not yank the cord from the block heater. Unplug it at the connection to avoid unnecessary wear and tear. Common sense, right?
- Have your block heater cord inspected by a qualified mechanic. Do this before the cold weather sets in.