Owning a home means becoming familiar with the various components that keep it running smoothly. One area that tends to cause the most concern for homeowners is the electrical system. To help alleviate these worries, here is a list of essential electrical safety tips to ensure your home stays safe.
Get Routine Electrical Inspections
One of the best safety tips for homeowners is to invest in an electrical inspection from a qualified electrician at least once a year. This is especially important in Florida, where humid conditions can cause your electrical system to degrade faster than in other regions of the country.
A professional will evaluate your entire electrical system, including all of its components, like your outlets, wiring, and the circuit breakers in your electric panel. This will help to identify any potential problems so that they can be repaired before they cause safety issues and extensive damage, like an electrical fire.
Use Outlet Covers
Outlets can pose a serious safety risk, especially if you have small children. It only takes a moment of curiosity for a child to stick an object into an outlet, potentially causing a dangerous electrical shock.
To minimize this risk, consider installing outlet covers throughout your home. These covers block access to unused outlets, preventing any accidental contact. Alternatively, tamper-resistant outlets, though more expensive, offer a convenient solution. They don’t require covers to be removed each time you need to use the outlet.
Don’t Rely Permanently on Extension Cords
Extension cords can be very useful when you need to power a particular electrical device that’s location-dependent. For example, powering lawn ornaments and outdoor lighting during the holiday season. However, you should never use extension cords as a permanent solution for your home.
Extension cords are not designed for long-term use and can degrade to the point where bare wires are exposed. This wear and tear creates a shock hazard. Permanent household wiring is run behind in walls to protect it from harm.
Don’t Overload Electrical Outlets
While using a power strip to accommodate multiple household items can be convenient, it’s not always the safest solution. This practice is incredibly tempting in older homes, which often have limited electrical outlets.
However, power strips can easily lead to overloaded circuits. Overloading your outlets not only puts your electrical devices at risk of damage but can also permanently damage the outlet and the wiring connected to it. In severe cases, it can even lead to electrical fires. It’s best to consult an experienced electrician who can install additional outlets to meet your home’s electrical needs.
Be Mindful of Electrical Ratings
Electrical items are often rated for either indoor or outdoor use, and it’s important to use them accordingly. Outdoor-rated items are specifically designed to withstand exposure to the elements, including moisture, humidity, and varying temperatures. They have weather-resistant coatings, sealed enclosures, and materials that prevent water from entering. Using less robust items outside can lead to electrical malfunctions, short circuits, or even fire hazards.
Ensure You Have GFCI Outlets
GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets are designed to protect against electrical hazards in high-moisture areas. These outlets respond almost instantly to detect any electrical problems, cutting off power within nanoseconds to prevent the risk of electrocution. Modern electrical codes require that all wet rooms, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms, as well as exterior outlets, be equipped with GFCI outlets.
GFCI outlets are easily recognizable by their test and reset buttons. If your bathroom, laundry room, or outdoor outlets do not have GFCI protection, they should be upgraded immediately to ensure the safety of your home.
Consider a Whole-Home Surge Protector
Power surges happen when there’s an excess amount of electricity that flows through your electrical circuit, and they happen more often than you might think. In many cases, this can result from a lightning strike or when the power company turns the electricity back on after repairing the grid. However, you can also get surges from imbalances in the electrical grid itself.
When they happen, power surges can damage sensitive electronics and, in some cases, electrical system components. Whole-home surge protection will help ground that excess energy and protect your entire electrical system and everything plugged into it.
Respond Promptly to Damaged Cords
When electrical cords become damaged, their internal wires can become exposed. If you touch the wiring, you can end up being electrocuted. Furthermore, electrical arcing can occur and lead to an electrical fire. As soon as you notice damage to any electrical cord, unplug the appliance right away.
You’ll want to either replace the device or have an electrician repair its cord. It can be highly beneficial to inspect all of the exposed cords in your home every few months to catch problem areas as they develop.
Have an Appropriately-Rated Fire Extinguisher
Fire extinguishers are rated based on the types of combustible materials they can safely extinguish. For electrical fires, it’s essential to have a Type C fire extinguisher. A practical option for homeowners is to invest in a multi-purpose fire extinguisher with an ABC rating. This type can effectively handle a variety of fires.
Don’t Use Electrical Devices Near Water
Water is an excellent conductor of electricity. This means that if an electrical device, such as a blow dryer, falls into a puddle of water in the bathroom while you’re standing in it, the electrical current can quickly travel through the water and into your body, leading to electrocution. This is why it’s so important that you don’t use electrical devices near water. This includes when you’re hanging out in your pool or hot tub.
Be Mindful of Bulb Wattages
If you’re still using incandescent bulbs in your home, it’s important to pay attention to the wattage of replacement bulbs. Installing a bulb with a wattage higher than the fixture is rated to handle can overload the electrical circuit. In extreme cases, this can lead to overheating, potentially causing a fire hazard. Always check the maximum wattage rating on your light fixtures and ensure you never exceed it to maintain safety in your home.
Be Careful of Overhead Power Lines
Whether you’re decorating the exterior of your home for the holidays or are just getting up on a ladder to clean out the gutters, it’s important to be mindful of power lines. Always allow a good 10 feet of space from where you position your ladder to the closest one.
Don’t DIY Electrical Work
While there are many aspects of your home that you can DIY to save money on, your electrical system isn’t one of them. You never want to do wiring, fixture replacement, or panel upgrades on your own. These can be highly dangerous without the right knowledge. Plus, many local ordinances have strict requirements that only licensed electricians perform electrical services on homes.
Expert Electrical Repair Service
At Top Flight Electric, we have served the residents of Winter Haven, FL and the surrounding areas since 2017. Our team can help with all your electrical needs, including inspections, rewiring, and grounding upgrades. In addition, we install modern necessities such as EV stations and whole-home surge protection. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced electricians.
