Articles

Checklist to Identify Possible Electrical Hazards at Home

by Kevin Smith Author

You probably had a brief electrical inspection when you bought your home. However, you probably didn’t know that you’re supposed to inspect your home’s electrical system every six months. If your home is over 40 years old, or if you’ve recently done renovations, you should surely have an electrician come out and do a full residential electrical inspection in Philadelphia, PA, again. Here are some of the things to be aware of when inspecting your own electrical system.

Outlets and Light Switches

Make sure that your switches and outlets are working properly. If any of them are discolored or warm to the touch, you should call an electrician to come and replace them as soon as possible. Another sign of a serious problem is if your switches and outlets are making sounds such as crackling or buzzing.

Extension Cords

Extension cords should always be used only temporarily. If you have any extension cords that have been in use for over a month or so, then you may want to look into other options. Further, your extension cords should be rated by an independent testing laboratory and not have any damage whatsoever on them.

GFCIs and AFCIs

Ground fault circuit protection (GFCI) and safer arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) should be tested every 30 days. If your house is beyond a certain age, then it may have standard circuit breakers. For optimum safety, replace these with AFCIs so that you’ll be better prepared and informed regarding potential dangerous electrical conditions.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Your carbon monoxide detector should be tested at least once every 30 days. The same goes for your smoke alarms. Also note that code requirements indicate you should have a smoke detector installed on every floor of the home, as well as in and just outside every bedroom.

Electrical Appliances

The best thing you can do with your electrical appliances is simply to make sure they are cleaned regularly. You should also make sure there is enough clearance around your electrical appliances so that air can circulate through to avoid overheating.  

Electrical Panel

Have your electrical panel serviced regularly and affix a label to it that says when it was serviced last. If you have problems with circuit breakers tripping or fuses blowing, call in an electrician to figure out where the problem lies and fix it right away.

Knowing the signs of electrical problems is important to keep your home safe from electrical disasters. Furthermore, if you’ve done any renovations recently or you’ve just moved into your home, you should have a full residential electrical inspection in Philadelphia, PA, done right away to make sure everything is safe and secure.

 


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About Kevin Smith Senior   Author

141 connections, 0 recommendations, 692 honor points.
Joined APSense since, December 7th, 2016, From Utah, United States.

Created on Apr 18th 2019 23:40. Viewed 400 times.

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