We are continuing our series of articles with tips from our residential electrician/commercial electrician to help you be proactive about electrical safety. Our previous articles covered the importance of not using damaged cords, being careful not to overload electrical outlets and power strips, unplugging appliances and devices when not in use, practicing electrical safety for any pets in your home, using properly rated circuit breakers and fuses, and replacing damaged wall plates. Here are more tips from our licensed electrician:
Pay Attention to Your Lamps
When purchasing or replacing lightbulbs for your lamps, make sure you check the maximum wattage. This is often indicated around the light bulb socket. You should never exceed the recommended wattage as doing so can overload the lamp’s wiring, thus damaging the lamp and possibly causing a fire.
Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI)
If you live in an older home, the original electrical wiring of your home probably did not include ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI). GFCIs should be installed on any outlet that is located near a source of water, including in the kitchen, bathrooms, outdoors, etc. GFCIs shut down power to the electrical outlet when a leak in the circuit is detected. This prevents electrical shocks, burns, and even electrocution. If your home is not equipped with GFCIs, your licensed electrician will note this during your electrical safety inspection. Most outlets can be easily upgraded to GFCI.
Top Flight Electric is a respected provider of residential electrician and commercial electrician services throughout Polk County, including Lake Alfred, Lakeland, Haines City, Lakeland Heights, Eagle Lake, Winter Haven, Davenport, and Mountain Lake. We are also one of the area’s most trusted Generac dealers. If you haven’t had an electrical safety inspection for a few years, we recommend having our licensed electrician come out and take a look to identify any potential hazards before they become a problem. When you need us, we’ll be here for you. Give your friends at Top Flight Electric a call today!
