
Electricity plays a vital role in your daily life, and sometimes you might forget how dangerous it can be. According to national estimates, residential building malfunction fires and losses indicate that in 2019, there were 24,200 fires, 225 deaths, 1,050 injuries, and $1,208,300,000 in losses. However, most of these fires are preventable, provided you can recognize the warning signs evident in your home.
Some things you should learn about your home's electrical system include what's in your service panel, the kind of wiring system you have, and if your home has grounded outlets. Know what tamper-resistant receptacle and ground fault circuit interpreters are. Learn the ways through which you can protect your house and family. Here are five electrical tips for new homeowners.
Find a good electrician
When moving into a new location, finding a trustworthy and reliable local electrical technician is crucial. Establishing a relationship with this electrician near Squamish or your locality will ensure regular maintenance and repairs are easy to deal with. This helps in an emergency, as you'll already have a dependable technician you can call, saving you money and time.
Get your electrical system inspected
An electrical inspection is your home's comprehensive electrical components checkup to ensure all is well with your electrical system. Before moving into a new home, getting it inspected helps ensure it's free of a possibly dangerous electrical system. Get a professional electrical technician to reassure you that no mistakes were made with your electrical components.
This prevents issues resulting from electrical system issues, including fires and malfunctions. Additionally, a professional electrical inspection is essential to ensure your home isn't violating federal or local electrical codes. It also enhances your property’s safety by looking for signs like blown fuses, deteriorating wiring, and tripped breakers.
Schedule a regular electrical system maintenance
Home electrical maintenance is crucial for safety and ensuring your electrical appliances' longevity. Neglecting it can potentially result in electrocution from sparks, damaged appliances, and fires from short circuits, posing a threat to you and your loved ones. Electrical maintenance may involve electrical currents, overall system, and parts testing to ensure smooth functioning of the system.
It also includes fixing faulty electrical elements and wiring for the system to run as expected and replacing electrical system elements that are a hazard to your home, can't be corrected, or are causing your appliances and devices to function inefficiently, promoting electrical safety.
Don’t overload your outlets
Overloading your electrical outlets can be dangerous and even fatal. This is because you might be placing your home at a severe fire risk or yourself at an electrical shock risk. Overloaded outlets become overheated and can strain the whole electrical circuit, causing hazardous faults and damaging your appliances. To determine if your electrical circuit is overloaded, look for tripping fuses, flickering lights, burning odors or sizzling sounds from your outlets, and discolored wall plates or electrical shocks. Consider getting your overloaded outlets checked for overload and adjust accordingly.
Unplug unused appliances
To ensure a safe household, it's important to unplug your appliances when not in use. This prevents electrical hazards and saves money on electrical bills. Additionally, if a power surge occurs, your appliances won't overheat or become irrevocably ruined when the power comes back on.
Endnote
Understanding your home’s electrical basics helps you identify issues before they escalate. Familiarize yourself with these electrical tips for new homeowners.