Extension cords and power strips are so ordinary that most people never think twice about how they're used — which is exactly why they cause so many preventable electrical faults.
✓ Do
- Check the wattage rating printed on the extension board before plugging in heavy appliances.
- Run the cable fully uncoiled when carrying a heavy load — a coiled cable traps heat.
- Use a surge-protected strip for electronics like TVs, routers and laptops.
- Unplug extension boards not in regular use, especially overnight.
- Inspect the plug and cable for heat damage or looseness every few months.
✕ Don't
- Don't plug a fridge, AC, microwave, iron or kettle into a light-duty extension board.
- Don't run cables under carpets or rugs where overheating can go unnoticed.
- Don't daisy-chain multiple extension boards off one another.
- Don't leave a cable coiled tightly while a heavy appliance draws power through it.
- Don't use an extension cord with a cracked casing or exposed wire, even 'just for now'.
Matching the cord to the load
Light-duty extension boards are fine for phone chargers, lamps and a laptop. Anything that heats or cools — kettles, irons, microwaves, AC units, freezers — should ideally go straight into a wall socket, or a heavy-duty board rated for that load.
Key takeaways
- Match the extension board's rating to what you're actually plugging into it.
- Never run heavy appliances off light-duty cords.
- A warm plug or board is a stop-and-check signal, not background noise.
- Long-term socket shortages are better solved by an electrician than by more extension boards.
