Sweltering Brits warned NOT to follow ‘dangerous’ TikTok ‘home air con’ hacks as heatwave hits
EXPERTS have warned sweltering Brits NOT to follow dangerous TikTok hacks to stay cool.
The popular video sharing app has been buzzing with creative ways on how to beat the heat.
Many have been viewed and liked thousands of times.
Safety pros from the Electrical Safety First charity are concerned that people are putting themselves in danger with so-called 'home air con' tricks.
The bad idea sees people tying bags of ice onto their fans to create a fresh breeze.
But allowing water close to an electrical appliance in this way risks causing an electric shock from the dripping water.
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Not only that, the excessive weight of the bag could topple your fan over, damaging or obstructing the rotation of the blades.
"Videos on TikTok are encouraging sweltering Brits to practice unsafe hacks with their electric fans," said Giuseppe Capanna, Product Safety Engineer at Electrical Safety First.
"Tying a bag of ice to a fan is very risky as it could destabilise the fan which may make it fall over, causing the blades to hit the guard and put the motor under additional strain, as well as potentially breaking your fan altogether.
"However, most importantly, the water that melts from the bag has a chance of coming into contact with the motor and causing an electric shock risk to anyone touching the fan."
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The warning comes amid several fan safety warnings as the UK basks in the hottest day ever.
Consumers have been told to avoid leaving their fan on overnight as it could pose a fire risk.
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Fan owners have also been told to make sure theirs doesn't have a load of dust.
And anyone buying a new fan have been urged to go for reputable retailers, instead of third parties through online marketplaces.
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