Practice Electrical Safety This Month and Always!
May is Electrical Safety Month! So, it is a great time for homeowners to brush up on some electrical safety tips to protect their homes, families, and electrical systems. This post will share some tips to help avoid potential electrical hazards.
Avoid Overloaded Outlets and Circuits
Homeowners must avoid overloaded outlets and circuits to protect their households and residents. If circuits are overloaded, they can lead to overheated wires, arcing from corroded wire connections, and circuit breaker failure. These can result in risks of fires, electrical shocks, injuries, and damage to electrical appliances.
Overloaded circuits and outlets can also cause power outages and reduce electrical appliance performance if the circuits malfunction or experience voltage dips. To prevent overloaded circuits, electricians recommend that homeowners take the following precautions:
- Spread out things that use more power into different circuits
- Avoid plugging in multiple appliances into a single outlet.
- Large appliances like refrigerators, stoves, and washing machines should have a dedicated circuit and not be on the same one.
- Label the circuits on the electrical panel or map out circuits so electricians can quickly identify which circuits are powering which outlets and appliances.
- Unplug unused appliances and electronics. Even if they are not being used, they can still use electricity.
Childproof the Outlets
If households have small children, they need to install childproof or tamper-resistant outlets. While they might run to the store to grab plastic outlet covers that plug into the outlets and consider their outlets childproofed, installing childproof outlets is much safer and more effective.
Plastic caps that plug into outlets can be removed and become a choking hazard. However, a tamper-resistant outlet has shutters that block the outlet slots to prevent children from inserting objects into them and suffering electrical shocks. When it is time to use the outlet, the shutters will open when a plug is pushed into all the openings simultaneously.
Know When to Call an Electrician
An important aspect of electrical safety is homeowners knowing when to call an electrician to inspect, repair, or replace components of their electrical systems. Numerous signs can indicate an electrical problem, including:
- The circuit breaker trips often
- An outlet or ceiling light fixture is warm or hot to the touch
- Electrical shocks when touching an outlet or appliance
- Electrical outlets that spark or are loose
- Lights are flickering or dimming
- Burning odors
- Buzzing sounds, especially when coming from switches or outlets
About Hunter Service Group
Hunter Service Group is a family-owned and operated company serving the San Antonio area. They provide polite and professional service, customer education, and trustworthy staff. Call them for electrical services in San Antonio, TX.
