6 Ways Electrical maintenance Keeps Your Family Safe

Like most systems in your Sarasota, Florida, home, your electrical system needs periodic maintenance to work both properly and safely. Keep your family safe and your electrical system functional by adding these six maintenance tasks to your to-do list.

Use the Right Light Bulbs

Many homeowners don’t realize that they have a significant impact on the safety of their home’s electrical system. In fact, just showing your family how to use the system correctly can increase overall safety levels greatly.

An easy way to start is by checking the light bulbs in your home to confirm that you’re using the right type in each spot. Most lamps and light fixtures come with labels that reflect the wattage they can safely handle. Using a bulb with a wattage that’s too high can overload the fixture and compromise the wiring. Fortunately, it’s easy to avoid this kind of electrical fire by using the right light bulbs.

Inspect Breaker Boxes

Older homes and new construction alike can suffer from problematic breaker boxes. Vintage homes often have outdated breaker boxes that no longer meet your family’s needs, while new homes can suffer from poorly installed breaker boxes. In both cases, the breaker boxes can cause circuits to trip frequently, create power shortages, and even lead to electrical fires.

Inspecting breaker boxes is best left to a licensed electrician. Call our technicians to ensure that your home’s electrical system complies with local codes and will continue to keep your family safe.

Don’t Overload Outlets

If your home never seems to have enough outlets or you constantly struggle to find an outlet in a convenient location, you might be tempted to overload the few that you do have. While this is a quick and easy way to get power to your devices, it can backfire in a serious way. In fact, overloaded circuits and outlets are a leading cause of home electrical fires.

Instead of overloading a single outlet, try to find a way to disperse your electrical devices more evenly throughout your house. If you do need to plug a number of devices into a single outlet, be sure to use a high-quality extension cord or surge protector. Since extension cords aren’t usually intended for permanent use, give our experienced technicians a call to learn more about your options for rewiring or adding new outlets instead.

Verify Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter Installations

In areas near a water supply, such as bathrooms and kitchens, ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) prevent you from getting an electrical shock. GFCIs are required in key areas throughout your home. If you haven’t had an electrical inspection in several years, though, you might not have these safety devices.

Keep your family safe by having GFCIs professionally installed. Our electricians can recommend the best places to install these necessary devices.

Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

One of the most important ways to check your home’s electrical system is to confirm that all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms are in good working order. Keep in mind that you should have at least one of each device on every floor in your home, and you should also install one outside each sleeping area. Test each device once per month, and if you notice a malfunction, have us inspect the wiring right away.

Schedule Professional Maintenance

No matter if you’ve lived in your home for years or you’ve just moved in, it’s a good idea to schedule professional maintenance periodically. Fire officials typically recommend that homeowners have their electrical system reviewed every 10 years to check for safety issues and recommend upgrades.

When you schedule maintenance with one of our licensed electricians, we’ll review your electrical system from the top down, from the attic wiring to the GFCIs. We’ll also identify any minor issues that can lead to dangerous problems down the road and recommend system upgrades to meet your family’s electrical needs.

Whether you need minor maintenance or help with a major problem, we’re here to help. Don’t wait another day to schedule an appointment with your local electrical maintenance professionals at Luminous Electric: .