Winter Safety Tips for Home Electrical Systems

With winter approaching, there are a variety of potential power-related issues that could affect your home. Now is a good time to conduct a thorough analysis of your electrical system and make sure it’s prepared for the season so you can avoid any accidents that could cause some significant repercussions.

Here are a few important winter safety electrical tips in Carlsbad, NM for you to follow this year:

• Flickering: Have you noticed lamps or lights flickering around your home? You should check them out and see if it’s just a bulb preparing to burn out. Swap out the bulb and test to see if the issue persists. If so, there could be something wrong with the wiring of the device, or with the wiring to the outlet. Swap out the lamp first, and if you’re still having problems, call in a professional electrician.
• Label circuits: This is a good general tip for you to employ even when you’re not having any electrical problems in your home. Label each circuit in your circuit breaker panel so you know exactly where to cut the power in your home if an issue arises. Most circuit breaker panels will have label sheets inside the door or next to the breaker switches themselves that you can write on to indicate which breaker goes to which circuit.
• Use GFCI: Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) are becoming standard outlet types in many situations, especially for areas of the home where there’s the potential for water or moisture to be an issue. These outlets are likely to be located in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and on the outside of your house. Test all these outlets to make sure they’re giving you the complete protection for which they’re designed.
• Extension cords: It’s generally best to avoid the use of extension cords whenever you’re able to do so, but if you do have any in your home, make sure you’re using them safely. You shouldn’t ever use more than one extension cord to connect devices, and if any of the cords are running under carpet or rugs, you should cover them with childproof caps.
• Surge suppressor: It can be beneficial to your home’s electrical safety for you to install a certified surge suppressor at the main panel to offer you a greater level of protection.
• Vacation: The holiday season is a popular time of year for people to go out of town to visit relatives or for a vacation. Before you do so, check around your home and make sure you’ve unplugged all your most important equipment before you leave, just to be on the safe side.
• Overloading: Try not to overload the outlets in your home with multiple cords. If you’re using power strips to expand your outlet space, make sure you’re doing so safely.

To learn more about some of the best winter safety electrical tips in Carlsbad, NM that you can follow this season, we encourage you to contact the team at JB Electric LLC today. We look forward to answering your questions and addressing your concerns!

Categorised in: Electrical Safety