Electricity is at the heart of modern civilization. It is what literally pulled us out of the dark ages. As time progresses and as technology continues to grow at a lightning fast pace, our dependence on electricity continues to deepen. It’s bizarre to note that our entire lives revolve around tiny little electrons making their way across complex circuits designed to power our businesses and homes.

No matter where you go, no matter how complex your use of electricity is, they seem to follow the same rules of physics we’re all aware of. During their little journeys across the circuits, they transmit and exchange energy, which we utilize to power our appliances, computers and air conditioners.

But they also come with their own set of dangers, for instance when a lot of current passes across the circuit in a short period of time, it results in too much energy being transported to the load, which results in sparks that turn into fire. This fire destroys both equipment and human life.

But fortunately, the inherent risks of electricity can be minimized to a certain extent by following certain rules. These ‘best practices’ should be adopted by everyone, whether they’re electrician in Summerville, SC or homeowners who don’t really want to learn about the intricate details of electricity. The National Electric Safety Codes (NESC) is a book of roles and guidelines that electricians, utility workers and the public should adhere to whenever they’re working around with electricity. This book is consistently upgraded and revamped to meet up with the changes made in the industry, it can be accessed here.

Common Electrical Hazards

Poor Wiring

The quality of wiring dictates whether there’s going to be fireworks or a safe working environment around the place. Poor wiring increases the risk of fire, power surges and other dangerous consequences. This is most definitely the domain of electricians in Summerville, SC who have the knowledge and foresight to detect poor wiring around the electrical systems. Homeowners should not attempt the inspection and maintenance work themselves because that is an accident just waiting to happen.

Poor electrical wiring can be identified by signs of damage, cracks, corrosion and any tears caused on the insulation of the electrical accidents. Having a qualified electrician in Summerville, SC to check for the quality of wiring on a regular basis is vital to the safety of your house. They will let you know whether to upgrade or outright replace the old faulty wires.

Outlets That Are Placed Close to Water

Water is a good conductor of electricity. It can improve the conduction of electricity in things which are otherwise resistant to the flow of electricity, whether it is plastic, wood or even human beings. So when you mix water with electrical outlets, the result is not something you’d want to wind up with.

Keep water away from the electric outlets to reduce the chances of electrocution and shocks. Never use radio, phone or hair dryers in the bathroom, near the pool or even the kitchen if you’re dealing with water.

One of the better ways to avoid electrical shocks and fire hazards when electric outlets are placed too close to water is to install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI). They can detect the slip up of as little as 0.005 amps of electricity. Traditional circuit breakers only trip when there is a surge of 15 amps of electricity, which is why you should have GFCI installed.

Using Wet Hands

If you have wet hands, you should not handle electrical appliances because that will also increase the chances of receiving electric shocks. This is mostly common when you’re trying to reach for a hair dryer, hair trimmer or similar appliances when you come straight out of a shower. While it is tempting and convenient the result are anything but.

Light Fixtures With The Wrong Wattage

Some light bulbs require more wattage than the insulation is designed to handle. The worst offenders are old incandescent bulbs, but LEDs in contrast don’t emit dangerous levels of heat to post a threat to the insulation of wires. So, if the socket placed a warning to not exceed 60 watts, it is referring to the heat output of bulbs, and incandescent bulbs violate this rule constantly. Matching the right bulb with the right socket is the hallmark of a skilled electrician in Summerville, SC.

Our tip is to install LED bulbs wherever possible, they are economical and last longer.

Extension Cords

Extension cords should be placed at strategic locations around the house to minimize the chances of tripping and even short circuiting. Their long range provides us with both convenience and a lackadaisical mindset, so we tend to forget about their existence, only to be reminded about them much later after we’ve tripped on them. We recommend installing extension cords at places which aren’t commonly accessed by inhabitants of the house, especially children who like to explore around, which brings us to our next point.

Curious Children

Young children are naturally inquisitive creatures, driven by their thirst of knowledge and absence of fear, they recklessly place their hands at nooks and crannies which are probably thriving with live electricity. The best thing you can do is to block all electrical outlets which young children can physically reach. You can unblock them once the children are old enough to be taught about the dangers of electricity.

Repurposed Appliances

Sometimes people try to use an old appliance to do a work which it wasn’t originally designed for. In order to make the apparatus work, they make slight ‘modifications’ to the appliance. An example is a gas stove powered by electricity. This is dangerous because it violates numerous safety codes set up by regulatory bodies such as the IEEE and OSHO. These violations include improper wiring, zero grounding, poor insulation, violation of wattage capacity and drawing in more electricity than the appliance is capable of handling.

We strongly believe that it is important to have your house inspected by professionals from Mister Sparky® of Charleston who will inspect your house and perform the necessary maintenance work to keep it safe from electrical hazards at extremely economical price points. Visit our website today to learn more about us and what we do!