As a new homeowner, it’s crucial to gain basic knowledge of your electrical system to ensure your home’s continued safety, security and energy efficiency. Having basic electrical knowledge of your home’s system will allow you to identify potential safety hazards, troubleshoot common issues, and make informed, smart decisions about making electrical upgrades and repairs. Whether you’re a new homeowner or you’ve been living in your home for years, understanding your electrical system is an essential aspect of home ownership that will save time and money. It may also help you avoid any safety issues.
Your Electrical System: What You Should Know
While the average homeowner should not be expected to have intimate knowledge of an electrical system, knowing a few critical things about your system will allow you to make informed decisions about repair and replacement. Under no circumstances should you attempt to make electrical repairs on your own without the assistance of a trained electrician. These quick tips will help you identify key components of your system and increase your awareness of safety issues.
Know The Location of Your Electrical Panel
Every home has an electrical panel, also known as a breaker box or fuse box, which is a central hub. This box is typically located in your basement, utility room, or garage, and it is responsible for distributing electricity safely throughout your home. You should know the location of your electrical panel, as well as how to pull the main power switch in the event of an emergency. As a precaution, consider wearing rubber boots or rubber gloves when working around your electrical panel to reduce the risk of electric shock or electrocution around high-voltage wiring.
Know How Your Circuits and Outlets are Wired
Understanding the circuits and outlets in your home is an integral part of understanding how your system works. This information will help prevent overloading aspects of your system and prevent electrical fires. You should know the locations of the circuit breakers, as well as how many outlets function on each circuit. This will help you avoid plugging too many devices into a single circuit, as this can overload the system and trip a circuit breaker. In extreme cases overloading your system can cause a fire.
If the home you’re buying is not brand new, you may benefit from having your electrical system inspected by a professional. Also, if you’ve been in your home a while, it’s important to know when you might need an inspection as well. Flickering lights, burn marks on your outlets and appliances shutting off for no reason are all indicators that it is time for an inspection. A professional can let you know if there is a safety issue and suggest ways to make your electric system more efficient.
Know About Electrical Safety and How To Take Precautions
You should be knowledgeable about electrical safety hazards that may exist around your home. Frayed and exposed wires, flammable fabrics in and around wiring, and the incompatibility of water and electricity should all be topics that you become familiar with as a means of making your home safe and comfortable for your family. You may consider the installation of ground fault circuit interrupters in bathrooms, kitchens and outdoor areas to protect against electrical shocks in places where contact with moisture is likely. Know how to put out electrical fires safely by following these steps:
- Turn off electricity at its source
- Never use water to extinguish
- Use a class C extinguisher to smother flames
- Use a sweeping motion aimed at the base of the flames
- Call the fire department immediately if the fire rages out of your control
A critical part of ensuring electrical fire safety is to install an efficient smoke detector in each room of your home, including kitchens and bedrooms. Check batteries and replace them regularly as needed to make sure you are alerted when you need to make quick decisions regarding the safety of your family.
Keeping You and Your Family Safe
When it comes to keeping you and your family safe and comfortable, trust the professionals at GVEC Electrician Services. We provide electrical inspections, electrical system upgrades and surge protection for homeowners and small businesses in Gonzales, TX, and the surrounding areas. Contact us today if you have questions about your electrical system or need some work done so we can get started!
