Avoiding the Dangers of Overloading Your Outlets

If you own or live in an older home, you’re likely running out of outlets to plug in the various electrical appliances you need for everyday life. Most people would simply buy a power strip to instantly add more outlets throughout the house, but this is never a good idea. You should always avoid plugging too many devices into one outlet to keep yourself and any other occupants of your home safe. Here’s how overloaded outlets can cause major problems and why you should rely on an expert electrician in Carlsbad, NM to equip your home with additional outlets when you need them.

Overloaded outlets cause fires

More than 5,000 minor to deadly residential fires are caused by overloaded outlets each year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It’s most common for homeowners to overload their outlets during the winter months, especially during the holiday season, when people are spending most if not all of their time indoors. While a home’s circuit breaker is meant to trip and shut down when an overload is detected, it’s not always a failsafe system. Bad wiring to more than one outlet leading to a circuit is all it takes for sparks to fly, and it can easily lead to a dangerous fire in a home.

Use your overload point as a guideline

Your circuit breaker can only handle so much before it becomes overloaded. As a general rule, you can calculate amperage by dividing the number of watts of power your household uses by the volts. Most circuit breakers can manage a maximum of 15 or 20 amps, or 1,800 to 2,400 watts. Always check the labels on your breaker box to learn its exact capacity, but rely on the advice of an expert electrician in Carlsbad, NM to discover the overload point for your home. Your electrician can inspect your wiring and check to see if there’s enough voltage to power all the appliances and other electronic devices throughout your home, making sure you’ll never max out a circuit or fuse.

Install more outlets if the circuit allows

While you may think that adding more outlets is a simple solution to the problem, it’s not always a safe one. It’s best to consult your trusted electrical technician to make sure more outlets won’t overload a circuit in your home. Your technician will test your system before adding any new outlets to the existing circuits. You’ll have peace of mind that your electrical system isn’t overtaxed, and that you’ll be free to run all appliances and other electronic devices without fear of any safety issues.

It’s never a good idea to cut corners when it comes to the electrical components in a home. If you’re feeling like you’re always running out of outlets or that you don’t have enough voltage to power the appliances in your home, contact your local electrician in Carlsbad, NM to inspect and upgrade the electrical system. Contact JB Electric LLC to learn more about powering your home as safely and efficiently as possible.

Categorised in: Electrician