Important Home Electrical Tips to Keep Your Property Safe This Winter

With space heaters, holiday lights and electric snowblowers all in use during the chilly winter months, you have to be especially vigilant about keeping your home protected from potential fire hazards at this time of year. Fortunately, your local electricians are here with five important home electrical tips in Forsyth County, GA that will help you ensure you are using your residential electricity safely all season long:

• Space heater usage: Space heaters operate on a high current and consume a great deal of energy when in use, and in order to keep your home safe, there are a few basic rules you must follow. With such high voltage passing through the unit, space heaters are not meant to be used with extension cords or power strips, and can actually cause them to melt, burn and even catch on fire. Because space heaters get so warm, they can also be dangerous when used too closely to furniture that is susceptible to catching on fire, such as sofas, tables or rugs. Make sure to keep at least three feet of space around your space heater at all times, and don’t place them on top of surfaces that have a tendency to overheat.
• Outlet overloading: When an outlet is overloaded, everything that is on that circuit could potentially become damaged by a voltage spike. To prevent this, avoid overloading outlets by using surge protectors when possible, and plug only one high-wattage item into each wall outlet.
• Extension cords: Because any electricity that is being used outside must have added protection against various types of weather elements, you must pay close attention to the type of cords you use as outdoor power sources. Outdoor extension cords are specifically designed with additional durability and insulation to protect the wires against a wide range of moisture and temperature conditions, as well as sunlight damage and chemical exposure.
• Protecting electrical cords: In an attempt to make areas of your home look tidy, you may try to hide cords or power strips underneath rugs or behind furniture. However, in addition to damaging the cords, this practice can create a dangerous fire hazard and should be avoided.
• Home electrical inspections: One of the best ways to keep your home safe from electrical dangers is to make sure the overall system is in good condition and does not have any lurking weaknesses. For this, it is always best to call on the help of professionals. Fuse boxes that are outdated, faulty electrical panels and damaged wiring can all lead to trouble in the not-so-distant future, but having them inspected routinely can help you stay ahead of danger.

If you want to schedule an inspection for some of your more outdated electrical components or you need a licensed professional to assess the overall state of your home electrical system in Forsyth County, GA, make sure to contact us at Duke Electric Co. For more than 50 years we have made it our mission to provide high-quality electrical repairs and installation, and we are committed to providing you with the professional services you need to keep the electricity in your home safe this winter and beyond. To learn more about everything we can do for your property, give us a call today to schedule an appointment.

Categorised in: Home Electrical

This post was written by Writer