Ensuring your electrical system remains in good condition is essential for keeping your home safe. Electrical faults and other issues are among the biggest causes of house fires. They can also create a risk of someone getting shocked or electrocuted. Follow these essential safety tips to prevent significant electrical problems from arising.

Avoid Overloading Outlets and Circuits

Overloaded outlets and circuits can create a significant risk of electrical fire due to wiring overheating. That's why you should always ensure you're not plugging too many things into a circuit, outlet or power strip. The majority of the circuits in your house are 15 amps and 120 volts. The maximum power these circuits can supply at one time is 1,800 watts. The general rule is that you never want to exceed 80% of this maximum. That means never trying to draw more than 1,440 watts at one time. You should also have at least one 20-amp, a 120-volt circuit that powers the small appliance outlets along your kitchen counters. Some homes also have a 20-amp circuit in the bathroom so that you can use a hair dryer without overloading the circuit. The maximum power draw for these circuits is 2,400 watts, but it's recommended to avoid exceeding 1,920. All electronic devices and small appliances should have an information tag or label that states how many watts they draw. This information can help ensure that your circuits are not overloaded. You must also factor in other demands for that circuit, like lighting and fan motors.

Test All GFCI Outlets Monthly

Newer homes usually have GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlets in various places. This includes all power receptacles in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, utility room, basement, garage and outdoors. GFCI outlets are now required in all these places under the National Electric Code. You can quickly tell that GFCIs are different from standard outlets. All GFCIs have a Test button and a Reset button in the middle. There is also a green LED light that shows the outlet is on. GFCI outlets cut themselves off during a power surge to ensure no one gets electrocuted. This is more likely in outdoor spaces, kitchens and bathrooms because water can enter the outlet. These rooms also use higher-voltage appliances like toasters and hair dryers that can cause more damage to a person if they provide a shock. GFCI outlets will eventually fail, meaning they can no longer trip when a ground fault occurs. Experts recommend testing each outlet monthly to ensure the internal breaker mechanism works. If the green light goes out when you press the Test button, it indicates the outlet is still working. You need to press the Reset button to turn the outlet back on. If you press the Test button and nothing happens, you should avoid using that outlet until an electrician can replace it.

Label Circuits in the Breaker Box

Specific electrical issues require immediate action to prevent a fire from potentially starting. This includes things like a switch that feels hot to the touch or an outlet that's started smoking. Turning off the switch or unplugging everything from the outlet will stop the power from continuing to flow and help decrease the risk of a fire. If you encounter severe issues, turn off the breaker to that specific circuit. That's why you should ensure that all of the breakers in your electrical panel are clearly labeled by room, part of the house or appliance. That way, you can act quickly and shut off the correct breaker in an emergency. If you don't know which breaker to shut off, you can permanently shut off the main breaker. However, that means your entire house won't have power until you can get an electrician to fix the problem. Many electricians will label each breaker when installing and wiring an electrical pane. Each of the double-pole breakers controls a 240-volt circuit. These circuits supply power to one of your major appliances or systems, such as your HVAC system, clothes dryer and electric water heater. The single breakers are for the rest of the 120-volt circuits that supply power to your lights and outlets. A few dedicated 120-volt circuits supply power to appliances, including your microwave, washing machine, dishwasher, refrigerator and freezer. The easiest way to determine what each single-pole breaker controls is to shut them all off. Then, turn them back on one by one and check which lights, outlets or appliances now have power.

Use Approved Equipment

All electronic devices must be tested and approved by a third-party organization such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL). This testing ensures that the device meets all the necessary standards and is safe to use. Devices imported from other countries aren't always tested. They don't always meet the required safety standards. Look at the label or tag any cords, appliances, and devices to check for the UL symbol. Some products are instead tested by an organization like ETL, ITS or CSA, and these symbols also let you know the product should be safe to use.

Childproof and Petproof

Curious kids and pets can hurt electrical devices and circuits in several ways. Kids are known for putting things into the holes of electrical outlets. Outlet covers are a common, inexpensive way to prevent this issue. They require no special skills to use. Pets, especially young puppies and kittens, may try to chew on electrical wires. This can hurt the device, the circuit where the item is plugged, and your pet. Several ways to prevent this include putting wires into conduits, moving electrical wires behind furniture and covering cables with bad-tasting sprays.

Use Surge Protectors for Sensitive/Expensive Electronics

Minor internal power surges can happen routinely throughout the day due to things like your heating, AC or clothes dryer turning off. Most of these surges aren't that powerful. Nonetheless, they can still damage your electronic devices over time. That's why you should always plug things like TVs, computers and sound systems into surge protector strips to be sure that any power surges get blocked and don't damage your devices. Surge protector power strips aren't effective against external surges caused by lightning. These power surges can be mighty and potentially damage or destroy nearly all your appliances and electronics. It can also cause damage to parts of your electrical system and fires. This is where investing in whole-home surge protection is highly beneficial. These devices protect your electrical system and everything else in your home should your house get hit by this external power surge. Instead of the surge flowing into your house, the surge protector will block it by sending it back outside through the electrical grounding rod. If you want to install a whole-home surge protector or need any other help from a licensed electrician, you can count on the experts at Mister Sparky®. Our team has years of experience performing all types of electrical work and can ensure that your electrical system is safe and works correctly. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to take care of your electrical needs quickly and professionally.