As a homeowner, it is important to protect your electrical system. Not only can electrical mishaps lead to fires as a result of melted wiring, but they can also cause damage to your home’s appliances and destroy valuable electronics. One of the most common types of damage to your electrical system is called a power surge. This is an overload of power flooding into your system. There are various causes, but two of the most likely are lightning strikes and the sudden resumption of power following a blackout. Here are a few of the most important things to know about protecting your home’s electrical system from surges and other mishaps.
Ensure That Your System Is Properly Grounded
An improperly grounded system is much more likely to short-circuit than one with adequate grounding. This can increase your risk of suffering an electric shock, which could lead to serious injury or death. Fortunately, a properly installed ground line will decrease the risk of this occurring. Also, you should consider installing a ground fault interrupter on some of your home’s most highly used circuits.
Install Split Circuits as Necessary
It’s important to make sure that you do not overuse any of the circuits in your home. If you are drawing a higher amperage than capacity, it could overload the system. This could lead to melted wires, which could even cause a fire in your residence. Fortunately, it is often possible to reduce the load on a particular circuit by splitting one that is highly used.
Protect Outdoor Cables
Cables that go outdoors need to be very well protected. The best way to do this is to keep them underground as much as possible. If you need to run an electrical main into your home above ground, it should be surrounded by a metal cable protector. Also, outdoor cables that run above ground should be protected by insulation. This will reduce the risk of the wires being damaged by water. In addition, use waterproof cables for outdoor wiring systems.
Install a Surge Protector
A whole-house surge protector will prevent lightning or the electrical grid from causing dangerous power surges through your home, which can damage appliances and lighting fixtures and destroy electronics. Furthermore, a power surge can even lead to personal injury or a home fire.
Turn to Trusted Local Professionals
In order to protect your home’s electrical system, it is important to get in touch with a competent electrician who can inspect, upgrade, and safeguard it. Not only can electrical issues lead to malfunctioning lights and appliances, but these problems can sometimes pose risks and hazards as well. So, if you live in or near Delray Beach, FL and you’d like to ensure your lighting installations, electronics, and wiring are protected, give us a call at Assurance Power Systems today!
