Electrical Safety: How to Avoid Shocks, Fires and Outages

Electricity is one of our most important utilities, powering everything from your lights and TV to your refrigerator and air conditioner. However, with the convenience of these appliances and electronics comes the necessity for safe, effective use. After all, electricity can be risky to work with without proper care. Improper electrical work, overloaded circuits and damaged appliances can all lead to accidents. Follow these crucial electrical guidelines at home to prevent electric shocks, fires and outages.

1. Inspect Your Electrical System Regularly

Regularly inspect all of your home’s outlets, switches and wiring. Signs of damage include cracked or broken outlets, stains on the switches and frayed wires. If you spot any other concerns, such as sparks or lights that turn on and off, it’s time to get the help of local professionals.

2. Prevent Circuit Overloads

Overloading circuits often leads to electrical fires. This can happen when multiple devices are crammed into one outlet or circuit, which risks overheating. To avoid this, distribute your home’s electrical load between multiple outlets and circuits.

High-power appliances, like most refrigerators and cooling systems, should have dedicated circuits to minimize the risk of overloading. Using multi-outlet strips can help you manage multiple devices more easily, but they aren’t designed to extend the reach of an already overloaded circuit. Make sure any power strips also have integrated surge protectors for total safety.

3. Safe Ways to Plug, Unplug Your Home’s Electrical

How you handle your home’s plugs and wiring greatly impacts household electrical safety. Make sure you always gently press plugs all the way into the socket before turning on the device. If you see that the plug is loose and falls out, consider calling an electrical professional. When removing the plug, pull closer to the plug itself rather than somewhere on the cord to prevent damage.

4. Never Mix Electricity and Water

Water and electricity don’t play nicely. Direct contact with too much moisture can cause a sudden electrical short or overload. Keep sockets away from water sources, using additional caution in humid spaces like kitchens and bathrooms where steam and humidity are highest.

5. Don’t Let Your Home’s Electrical Degrade

Old or outdated wiring is more prone to failure and erratic performance. Keeping the home electrical well-maintained improves the home’s energy efficiency. For example, your older home may not have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), so prioritize having those installed anywhere there’s a risk of electrocution if the outlet gets wet. In addition, AFCIs (arc fault circuit interrupters) help stop fires by preventing electrical arcs. These will be most effective in the living room and any bedrooms.

6. Select Proper Light Bulbs

Always prioritize light bulbs that align with the recommended wattage for your fixtures. Using a higher-wattage bulb than specified may cause excessive heat and damage to the fixture. Pick LED bulbs, a longer-lasting, energy-efficient alternative to incandescent bulbs. They also produce less heat, making them a better choice.

7. Use Surge Protectors

Storm-caused power surges can cause widespread damage and even pose a fire hazard. Having a whole-house surge protector is particularly effective for insulating your entire electrical system and HVAC equipment from these unexpected surges, like those caused by lightning. For individual devices, opt for plug-in surge protectors to safeguard against dangerous voltage spikes. The surge protectors are another important investment in safe electrical and ensuring that key electronics or medical equipment is safe from power outages.

8. Teach Your Family Key Safety Tips

Speak with everyone in your household about these electrical safety tips to make sure they understand and follow them. Remind children not to stick objects into outlets, tug on plugs and wiring or handle electrical devices without help. Discuss emergency procedures with your family, such as how to use a fire extinguisher and why we avoid dousing an electrical fire with water. Educating your family creates a safer environment for everyone.

9. Hire a Trained Professional

Handling electrical systems safely means practicing caution wherever you can. For even basic electrical work, always turn off the power at the breaker box before starting work and use the right tools and supplies. Without enough experience, it’s best to hire a licensed electrician for more complex jobs like electrical rewiring, adding new outlets and any major repairs.

Qualified electricians are up to date on the latest electrical codes, which are sometimes changed when responding to new safety concerns. If you’re planning major electrical work, you’ll also need to pull the necessary permits, which an electrician can handle for you. Without experience, DIY fixes often cause more harm than good, so pick the safest option and keep your home in compliance by letting an electrician take care of it.

Arrange for Licensed Electrical Services

Making sure electrical systems are safe prevents problems and protects your family and property alike. If you need an electrical panel upgrade, ceiling fan installs or washer/dryer hookup, turn to Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. We pride ourselves on delivering fast, yet lasting solutions for all your electrical needs. Contact us today to request licensed electrical services in your area.