4 Ways to Avoid Electrical Problems in Your Home 

From powering our lights to brewing our cup of morning joe, we are very dependent on electricity. Having an electrical issue in your home will be inconvenient and disrupt your everyday life. Plugged In Electrical wants to help you maintain reliable and safe power. Follow these tips to help you avoid common electrical problems.

•   Avoid Overworking Your Outlets—Your outlets are designed to pull and deliver a certain amount of power. When you plug in too many devices at once, you could overload your circuits and cause a blown fuse. In some cases, you may just notice a flicker when you try to pull too much power on one breaker, such as running a window A/C unit, your computer, and your vacuum at the same time. Each device from your dishwasher to your bedside lamp requires different wattage. Inside your breaker box, you may be able to locate your available amps to determine how many devices you can use without blowing fuse. If you are struggling to figure it out, one of our technicians would be happy to help.
•   Practice Responsible Cord Use—Many homeowners “solve” their circuit overload problems by using an extension cord so they can use a different breaker. Although this could be a band-aid solution, you should not view this as a long-term fix. If you are consistently overloading your breakers, you may need to upgrade your breaker box and/or electrical work to accommodate your needs. We conduct free breaker box inspections, so go ahead and schedule one if you are concerned about your electrical components not supplying your family’s needs. Another problem with extension cords is that they are trip hazards. When you trip over a cord, you will likely rip the cord out of the wall which could also cause damage to your outlet or the cord. Beyond minimizing extension cord usage, inspect your cords to ensure they are in good repair. Exposed wires or taped up cords can be a fire hazard. If you find a damaged cord, wrap it with electrical tape for a temporary solution and buy a replacement as soon as possible.
•   Schedule an Annual Inspection for Your Electrical Panel—So many electrical issues can be prevented by keeping your electrical system up-to-date. Our electricians can make sure that your system is still properly grounded and connected. We can also ensure that your system provides the power you need as efficiently as possible. With continual improvements in the technology, a new breaker box could save you significant money in annual utilities and help your electrical system better accommodate your family’s needs.
•       Prioritize Surge Protection—Many homeowners are completely unprepared when a storm hits. The best way to avoid electrical issues and dangers from power surges and lightning strikes is to implement whole house surge protection. Surge protection can help safeguard your electrical components and all your plugged in devices. Some homeowners choose to use plug in surge protectors instead of whole house protection. Although this is better than no surge protection, the coverage will not be as extensive so you may still incur electrical problems. Power surges or strikes can damage your electrical components as well as potentially cause a fire. If you are interested in learning more about surge protection, schedule a consultation to hear more about your options.

Call Plugged In Electrical for any electric repair you need. We can help solve any ongoing problems and help you take measures to prevent future issues.