21 February, 2023
Hi-Lite Electric Inc.
Your home’s electricity is one of its most essential components. Without it, it would be impossible to power the electronics and home appliances you use daily. However, as necessary as electricity is, it can also pose problems, especially when your home’s electrical wiring becomes faulty.
When that happens, it can lead to electrical emergencies that can be incredibly hazardous, putting you and your family in danger. Different people may have other ideas about what constitutes an electrical emergency.
Though being without power or lights may be inconvenient, electrical emergencies like damaged wires and an electrical fire are much more severe. They can typically be detected by the smell of something burning or by the sight of smoke or fire.
In some cases, faulty wiring can also lead to an increased risk of electrocution when interacting with electrical outlets or appliances. Faulty wiring may also constitute an electrical emergency, as some electric shocks can impact your health, burning you or causing internal injuries. In serious cases, brain damage, cardiac arrest, or even death can result in strong shocks.
Fortunately, there are ways that you can minimize the risks of experiencing an electrical emergency in your home. Keep the following tips in mind and pay attention to your home’s electrical system. You should be able to avoid electrical emergencies in most cases:
You must ensure your electrical system has a reliable safety component. Examples of crucial safety measures include having your mains wired through a circuit breaker and connecting every point of power to a residual current device, as doing so will add many layers of electrical security to your home.
Suppose you have multiple safety checkpoints in your electrical wiring system and an appliance ever overloads. In that case, your safety measures will minimize damage and help isolate the electrical fault. It is also essential to check the integrity of these safety components regularly and maintain them as needed so that you can rely on them when necessary.
An electric overload happens when too much electrical current passes through electric wires at once. It can cause wires to heat up and melt and is a significant fire hazard.
Overloads can happen when you plug several appliances into one power outlet, exceeding the wattage rating. An overload can also occur if you connect a high-demand load to a socket with low wattage.
You can avoid overloading by using high-rating powerpoints and thoroughly checking your devices’ power demands to ensure they plug into a compatible outlet.
Various factors, such as continuous heating from high-demand appliances and physical weathering, can cause electrical circulation to wear down and chip off over time, exposing the copper wires beneath and resulting in short-circuiting.
To prevent this from happening, it is vital that you closely monitor your electrical system’s safety components to see if they are reacting unusually. Residual current devices trip when there is electrical leakage and safety breakers trip the moment there is a short circuit. Suppose you notice that your wiring has begun to wear. In that case, you may need to have it rewired and reinsulated to stop electrical leaks and short circuits from happening.
Another way to prevent electrical emergencies from occurring in your home is by installing ground fault circuit interrupters. Some areas of your home that could benefit from ground fault circuit interrupters are your kitchen, bathrooms, and outdoor spaces.
Installing these interrupters will help prevent electricity and water from ever coming into contact, which could cause significant problems.
If an extension cord is used to plug devices or appliances into an outlet in your home, ensure that the cable does not show any damage, as using damaged cords can lead to electrical fires. The same goes for cables that are attached to your appliances, so make sure that you always check them for damage before plugging them in.
It is an excellent habit to unplug appliances when not in use. Unplugging appliances can also help minimize the risk of electrical emergencies.
Although it is okay to leave appliances plugged in at all times, such as your fridge, dishwasher, and oven, smaller kitchen appliances, chargers, entertainment systems, computers, and power strips can all be unplugged when they are not in use.
Not only will this improve the safety of your home, but it will also help you cut down on your costs, as anything plugged in is constantly adding to your electrical bill.
One factor to consider is to maintain adequate electrical safety is ensuring that a certified professional deals with any electrical problems you encounter promptly.
Especially if you are inexperienced, you should never fix or replace a component of your electrical system on your own, as even the most subtle mistakes can lead to significant problems and hazards down the line.
You also risk injuring yourself if you do not know what you are doing. On the other hand, an experienced professional will be able to address the problem safely and efficiently, fixing the issue while also helping to prevent it from reoccurring.
Suppose you are uncertain about the current state of your home’s electrical system and are concerned about potential electrical emergency risks. In that case, you can contact Hi-Lite Electric Inc for a home electrical inspection in Toronto.
Our knowledgeable team of professionals has the expertise to do everything necessary to ensure that your home is electrically safe. We always complete a 12-point home electrical safety check in every home we go to, allowing us to address current problems, detect nearing issues, and prevent future ones.
Whether there are repairs that are immediately necessary or there are just some preventative measures that you can take, our experts will be able to provide you with valuable information about preventing electrical emergencies after thoroughly inspecting your home.
Once you know the condition of your home’s electrical system, you can react appropriately, which is why we prioritize communicating such matters during every home visit effectively.
We pride ourselves on offering same-day solutions and will be able to send electricians out to you in a matter of hours as long as you call us by 8:00 AM. We have been offering top-notch service to clients since 1982 and would be happy to help you as well.
For more information about our home electrical services, call High-Lite Electric Inc at 416-800-5536 (in Toronto), 289-236-1333 (in York), or 289-236-1347 (in Peel), or contact us here.
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