Check Your Home's Electrical Wiring for National Safety Month
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June is National Safety Month. It is sponsored by the National Safety Council,
a non-profit organization focused on awareness for a safe lifestyle. American
Mechanical is encouraging local residents to take the time to make their
homes safer with electrical wiring upgrades. Many homes in Hampton Roads
were built long before 1990 and have outdated electrical wiring which
may not comply with the local zoning and building codes. Homes built in
the 1950s or ’60s, for example, may still have two-prong electrical
outlets. Many homeowners bypass the inconvenience of being unable to plug
three-prong electrical cords with the higher voltage into a two-prong
outlet by adding an adapter. While it makes the connection possible, it
is also a safety risk and fire hazard. An overloaded circuit could cause
a fire or a power outage. Ultimately, the wiring needs to be upgraded
by a licensed electrician to make sure the home electrical circuitry is
safe to use. Even when the home is full of three-pronged outlets, it is
important that they are not overloaded. If they are, the number of cords
and machines attached to them should be reduced. When some homeowners
buy new appliances and entertainment systems, they simply run extension
cords from one room to the next. This is not a safe solution to avoiding
circuit overloads. Ideally, either more electrical outlets need to be
added, the circuit’s load capacity needs to be increased or the
load needs to be reduced.Signs that you need a professional Hampton Roads
electrician to fix the problem include frequent circuit breaker interruptions
and the inability to plug in new appliances or machines. Another symptom
that you may need upgrades to your home’s electrical system is having
to shuffle which appliances can be used at the same time.Related Posts
