If you ask most home owners, which DIY (Do It Yourself) project that they would most avoid, electrical work is probably top on their list.
Why?
For most people, electricity is scary.
And rightly so. Over 12% of all electrical fires in private residences are caused by faulty electrical systems or appliances. Some of these are caused by outdated or aging equipment, but many are caused by poor repairs, replacements, and installations carried out by the untrained.
On the rise....electrical fires caused by DIY electrical work.
Youtube videos and online instruction have given many would be DIYers a false sense of security, suggesting that adding landscape lighting, rewiring outlets, and installing ceiling fans are safe and easy procedures. Unfortunately, people attempting to handle electrical installations or repairs can electrocute themselves and/or cause damage to their appliances and property.
Risking your life and property just isn't worth the potential savings of a few bucks. In fact a good chunk of a licensed electrician's business is fixing the damage caused by DIYers.
Plus, most insurance policies are voided by DIY repairs or installations. So, if your project ends up causing you or others injury or damages or destroys your property, you will be on the hook for the related expenses.
Call a licensed electrician.
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The professionals at Allstate Electric llc would be pleased to meet with property owners in Northern New Jersey to discuss all of your electrical installation, renovation, maintenance, and emergency needs.
Last year, almost 60,000 homes in the US were damaged or destroyed by fire caused by an electrical problem. Faulty wiring, space heaters, appliance malfunctions, and over loaded circuits, outlets, and extension cords were the most common causes of these fires, which resulted in nearly $2 billion in property damage, thousands of injuries, and hundreds of deaths.
But common electrical problems can be avoided with basic knowledge and some common sense.
DON'T Overload Outlets
Not all household outlets are created equal. Understanding the difference between standard outlets, GFCI outlets, electric stove outlets, and major appliance or dryer outlets will help you to use the right outlet for the job. Not sure about the different types of outlets in your property? Check out my Understanding Outlets article.
Piggy-backing multiple appliances off of one outlet or adding extension cords off of surge protectors is a good way to overload your outlet and cause a fire.
DON'T Leave Space Heaters or Fans Unattended
Every year people are killed because they leave a space heater or fan unattended. Whether by overheating or causing items around the heater or fan to ignite, it really couldn't be simpler. If you aren't in the room, turn off the space heater or fan.
DON'T Use the Wrong Type of Light Bulb
Appliances and lighting fixtures use specific types of light bulbs. Bulbs are rated by watts and lumens. Watts are the amount of energy used and lumens are the amount of light emitted. Never use a bulb that exceeds the maximum watts listed for that appliance or light fixture. It wastes money on your electric bill, requires bulb replacement much more frequently....and can cause a fire.
Want to learn more about light bulbs, the future on incandescent bulbs, CFL vs LED and more...check out my article Understanding Light Bulbs.
DON'T Misuse Extension Cords
Did you know that there are different extension cords for different uses? Many don't and end up using an extension cord that doesn't meet the required gauge or length. Using the wrong thickness can cause the extension cord to overheat and cause fires. Worse...some people will make very long extension cords by piggy-backing extension cords off of each other.
Read the amp requirements for your appliance and select the matching extension cord. There is a terrific guide to extension cord selection, written by Brett Martin of Gizmodo called How To Choose the Right Extension Cord for Anything.
DO Prepare For Power Outages
Whether inclement weather, overloaded circuit, or blown fuse has left you in the dark, having a plan BEFORE you need it will help you avoid standing at the circuit breaker at 3am with a flashlight wondering what to do.
Do you know where your circuit breaker or fuse box is located?
Do you know what to do if your power goes out?
If the metal box with all of the little switches confuses you, you aren't alone. Read my article Understanding Circuit Breakers.
DO Educate Yourself About Your Household Electrical System
Making smart choices for your property is much easier if you have a basic understanding of of your household electrical system.
In the same way doctors recommend that you have an annual physical to make sure that everything is working properly and to catch any health problems while they are easily manageable, having an annual electrical system inspection is a terrific way to keep your electrical system running smoothly and safely.
Sparking outlets, hissing light fixtures, and flickering lights are all signs that you need a systems check. It could be as minor as the wrong light bulb, but it can also be faulty wiring, surges, or melting wires...all that could easily lead to a fire.
Contact a licensed electrician for a systems checkup today!
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The professionals at Allstate Electric llc would be pleased to meet with property owners in Northern New Jersey to discuss all of your electrical installation, renovation, maintenance, and emergency needs.
Most home owners have been there....standing in front of a metal box in the basement, flashlight in one hand, either trying to flick switches back and forth until the lights come back on or scared to touch anything for fear of being electrocuted or setting the house on fire.....
But it doesn't have to be that way. A basic understanding of the electricity in your home, the service panel, and circuit breaker, and you can easily see what what circuits are tripped and if you can get the lights back on yourself or you need to call in the professionals.
What is Voltage? What is an AMP?
In the most simplistic of terms, voltage is the force of the electrical current. In the US, houses typically have circuits that accept 120 volts. Amperage or amp is the strength of the electrical current required to operate a given device.
How Stuff Works has a great primer on Volts, amps, watts, and ohms that I highly recommend.
How Does Electricity Get Into My House?
Electricity is created in generators at power plants. The current created is then processed through transformers which increases the voltage. This increase helps to propel the current long distances through the high-voltage transmission lines.
Substations in your neighborhood accept the high-voltage current and lower it so that the current can safely travel down smaller, local power lines. Transformers on the power lines lower the voltage even more and ultimately deliver the safe voltage to the "service drop" on the outside of the house that includes the meter.
The current passes through the meter and into the "service panel" which includes the circuit breaker or in older houses, the fuse box.
What Does the Service Panel Do?
The service panel is essentially the distribution hub for electricity in your home. Unless a particular appliance needs it's own circuit (dryers, electric stoves, water heaters, air conditioners, etc.), most circuits control multiple outlets. All of the outlets or appliances controlled by a particular circuit is called a circuit branch.
The circuit branch distributes electricity to outlets and light fixtures on its branch. So, as an example, all of the outlets and lighting fixtures in your bedroom may be on the same branch. When you plug in too many appliances, all of the outlets and light fixtures in that room stop working.
What Does the Circuit Breaker Do?
The circuit breaker is essentially a safety gatekeeper that prevents an electrical overload by breaking the current if too much electricity is being drawn through a particular circuit branch. Except in the instances where an appliance is on a designated circuit, outlets share the amount of amps that are safely able to travel through a circuit branch. So, too many appliances drawing too much current through a circuit branch will cause the circuit to "trip" or break and halt the flow of electricity to everything on that branch.
The circuit breaker has rows of labeled switches that designate which room or appliance a particular switch controls. When working properly all of the switches are all in the "ON" position. This means that the power is "on" and flowing properly through those circuits and through the related circuit branch.
When the circuit is tripped, the circuit for that particular branch flips to the "OFF" position.
So I have tripped a circuit. Now What?
Look outside. Are other houses also without electricity? Many people rush to assume that the power is off in their house and start fiddling with the circuit breaker or calling the electrician when the problem is outside of their control.
If it is a problem specific to your home, you want to get the power flowing to the area of the house that has been cut off. Unplug whatever appliance you added to the circuit branch that caused the trip. Then go to the circuit breaker (usually in the basement or utility room) and find the corresponding switch. It should be in the "OFF" position, switch it back to "ON" and the power should resume in that area of the house. If you have a fuse box, you will have to replace the fuse. Generally this is as simple as removing the blown fuse and inserting a new one.
Don't go and plug the offending appliance back in or you will trip the circuit again. Instead turn off some of the other appliances on that circuit branch or plus the appliance into an outlet on a branch with less load.
I keep tripping the circuit but I can't find the source of the problem.
This calls for a bit of detective work. Is the circuit tripping when you plug in a particular appliance or combination of appliances? If you try to use the microwave and the vacuum cleaner at the same time, it might be as simple as waiting until your "Hot Pocket" is done to start the cleaning.
If you don't have an obvious culprit, its time to call a professional electrician. Frequent trips are usually caused by1. Overheating or faulty appliances
2. Short circuits within your home's electrical system
Both can cause an electrical fire.
Safety Tips
1. Keep a flashlight close to the service panel.
2. If the switches on your circuit breaker are not labeled, consider having an electrician map your system. It will save you a lot of time and money if you and or an electrician can quickly identify a future problem, without having to figure out which outlet or appliance corresponds with which circuit.
3. Keep an eye out for scorched or yellowing outlets. This often means a short circuit in the system or touching wires behind the outlet panel. If you see this or smell burning, call an electrician right away.
4. Your outlets, circuit breaker, or service panel should NOT be making a sound, if it is call an electrician right away.
5. NEVER try to remove the panel behind the circuit breakers or use a screwdriver on anything in the service panel. That is an excellent way to electrocute yourself.
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The professionals at Allstate Electric llc would be pleased to meet with property owners in Northern New Jersey to discuss all of your electrical installation, renovation, maintenance, and emergency needs.
If you are like most people, you only think about your home electrical system when the power bill comes or when there is an emergency.
Thinking about your electrical usage and how you can save money is a great idea...but waiting until an emergency to choose an electrician is not.
Home and business owners should have a relationship with an electrician before an emergency occurs. In fact, having regular maintenance of your electrical system can save you money and prevent many common emergencies.
So, how do you select an electrician?
Ask for Recommendations
Friends and neighbors can provide trusted recommendations based on their own experiences with local electricians. You can also ask your property insurance agent or real estate agent which electricians they would recommend.
Check the License and Insurance
Electricians should be licensed and insured. Most states have on-line searchable databases that provide licensing information as well as any disciplinary action taken against the owner. You can find the data-base at your state's Department or Consumer Affairs or Department of Professional Licensing.
Get a Quote and Compare
Professionals provide written quotes. It protects you, it protects them, and it memorializes the services quoted to avoid any misunderstandings. If your recommendations have resulted in a few different companies, get quotes and compare. BUT....don't pick a company simply based on the lowest price. It's more important to....
Trust Your Gut
How do you feel about the electricians that you meet? Are they polite? Professional? Knowledgeable? You want to find an electrician that you trust and feel comfortable working with in your home or business.
Creating a relationship with an electrician now can help you save on energy bills, head off potential problems through preventative and system maintenance, and provide you with a trusted person to call in the event of an emergency.
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The professionals at Allstate Electric llc would be pleased to meet with property owners in Northern New Jersey to discuss all of your electrical installation, renovation, maintenance, and emergency needs.
