The Consumer Electronics Group of the Electronic Industries Association offers these tips for the safe use of your home stereo system.
- Audio products have ventilation openings in the cabinet to allow heat generated during use to be released. If any of these openings are blocked, heat can build up within the set, causing failures that could create a fire hazard. Toward that end:- Never block the ventilation slots of a portable unit by placing it on a bed, sofa, rug, etc.
- Do not place a unit in a built-in enclosure unless proper ventilation is provided.
- Never cover ventilation openings with cloth or other material.
- Never place the set near or over a radiator, heat register or other source of heat such as a power amplifier.
- To avoid personal injury:
- Do not place any audio product on a sloping shelf unless it is properly secured.
- Do not try to roll a cart with small casters across thresholds or deep-pile carpets.
- If your receiver or amplifier has provisions for connecting external speakers or other accessories, use only those re-com-mend-ed by the manufacturer. Do not insert tools or your hands in the opening for cassettes, especially if the unit is plugged into a wall outlet.
- Never operate equipment if liquid has been spilled into it. Unplug the unit and have it inspected by a service technician before further use. Liquid spilled inside electronic units can cause electrical shorts that can create a fire hazard.
- For added protection of your audio system during a lightning storm, unplug it from the wall outlet and disconnect the antenna. Also, when the unit is going to be left unattended for a long time, turn it off, unplug it from the wall and disconnect the antenna. This will prevent possible shock and fire hazards due to lightning storms, power-line surges or equipment malfunction.
- If an audio product has been dropped or the cabinet has been damaged, a fire or shock hazard may exist. Unplug the unit and have it checked by a service technician before using it again.