Your home’s electrical system plays a vital role in your day-to-day life, and your home’s entire electrical system needs to always be in excellent condition for everyone in the home’s safety.
Even though repair and maintenance of electrical wirings can be dangerous and must be handled by a professional electrician. To prevent hazards, replace them at the earliest signs of malfunction. There are still maintenance tips you should perform on your electrical system.
With simple but essential maintenance tips, you can trust the safety and efficiency of your home’s electrical system more. Better, your appliances will be sure to run smoothly and your outlets safe for everyday use.
Use these tips to ensure proper maintenance of your home’s electrical system:
1. Safety first
The first thing you should note is never to start any home electrical maintenance without proper preparation, tools, and safety precautions. Ensure the power to the specific circuit you’re working on is unplugged or turned off. As water and electricity should never be in contact, make sure you unplug anything electric before you clean.
Also, in a house with children, put protectors over plugs to accidental shock by the outlet. Furthermore, as recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, ensure you have ground-fault circuit interrupters installed for all outlets in wet locations like your kitchens and bathrooms. These interrupters will turn off electric power immediately in event of a mishap.
Don’t forget to always save electricity when you can turn off lights and appliances when you’re not using them and embrace the use of energy-efficient bulbs.
2. Schedule routine professional check-ups
One of the most important tips in electrical maintenance is for you to have a professional inspect your entire electrical system a minimum of once a year. Such a professional will be able to not only replace damaged wires or sockets but would also test your circuit breakers and check your electric panel. This ensures you’re always prepared for an electrical emergency.
3. Avoid overloading
Overloading is a common problem found with home electrical systems. You must know how much power your electronics make use of and how much power your outlet provides as this can help avoid mishaps. For instance, kitchen appliances consume a lot of power and should therefore have outlets of their own. By plugging in multiple devices in one circuit, you expose the circuit to overloading which can subsequently lead to a power outage.
4. Use Plugs, Outlets, and Wires Appropriately
Don’t force your plugs to fit into outlets neither should you stick to bending or adjusting the prongs, this could easily lead to an electric shock. If you find that it’s loose inside the outlet, replace the cord with a fresh one. Disconnect or unplug cords when you’re not using them to avoid a fire incident.
Also, replace any frayed wires as soon as you notice them before they cause electric shock or fire. Ideally, to be on the safer side, turn off, unplug and cut power to the item with frayed wire.
Always be alert for the safety of your homes, call a professional to help repair damaged electrical appliances. And if you have just purchased a property, always consult a professional to perform a full electrical inspection before moving in.
