Home About Electrical Mechanical Service Design Green Building Blog Contact Us HomeBlogElectrical Safety in Your Home ← Electrical Safety Around Overhead Lines Electrical Safety with Power Tools → Electrical Safety in Your Home Posted on June 17, 2013 by Super Understanding the effects of electricity is imperative when working in the electrical industry. Whether you are at a residential or commercial property, take preventative measures to ensure the safety of yourself and your customers. When you understand the hazards of electrical wiring in the home, you and your customers are well protected. Prevent injury from electricity at home by learning about overloaded circuits, GFCI’s, and circuit breakers. For those who work in the electrical industry, working around electricity does not pose a great danger. It’s truly amazing what knowledge and experience can bring to the table. For those who do not work in the electrical industry, however, electricity can be an intimidating factor. If you are a handyman or an electrician, understanding the basic concepts of electrical safety in the home is crucial. Here are some of the most important safety factors to understand. Overloading circuits poses a definite dilemma. Knowing whether an electrical wire is hot or not, knowing when the electricity needs to be shut off, etc. are all important basics to electrical safety. If you are interested in electrical wiring in the home, you need to know about overloading a circuit. There are several risk factors involved when a circuit is overloaded. It can cause overheating that may lead to fire, a fault, or electrical shock. This painful experience would no doubt teach you to avoid electricity, but you should have a foundational understanding of how to safely encounter electricity in the home. The first rule of thumb is to never plug too many things into one plug, it puts your home and your family at risk. While your spouse might need more electrical outlets in the bathroom or your teenage child might want more in the game room, it can cause serious damage to your home. Your home should have GFCI’s in the kitchen and bathrooms. Any plug that is in your home that is near a water source needs to be protected by a GFCI. This could save someone in your home from an electrical shock. When installing or replacing an electrical outlet, consider the surroundings. If close to a water line, always use a GFCI. When completing work in your home, contact a professional electrician for any major repairs. Never attempt electrical work in your home, especially work in your homes circuit breaker panel. Call a qualified Electrician for this type of work. This includes Christmas decorations. Tis’ the season for lights and more. Follow the suggestions above regarding circuit overload with your lights. You should unplug your decorations at night and when you leave the house. Keep flammable material away from electrical decorations. Read and follow all manufacturer warnings with regard to your decorations. Overloading a circuit can cause overheating and potentially a fire. When you understand the importance of electrical work in your home, you can better keep your family safe throughout the year. Whether you’re completing spring cleaning or Christmas decorating, stay safe with the help of a professional electrician. This entry was posted in Safety Topics. Bookmark the permalink. ← Electrical Safety Around Overhead Lines Electrical Safety with Power Tools → ABOUT H&A Humphrey & Associates is a family owned business that has been in operation since 1977, but just because it is family owned doesn't mean it is a small player. More... HUMPHREY LOCATIONS Humphrey & Associates has four office locations throughout Texas. They are located in: Dallas Fort Worth Denton East Texas Get contact information here. DESIGN, BUILD, MAINTAIN About Team Humphrey Core, Culture & Value Project Timeline Electrical Division Mechanical Division Service Design TEGG CurrentSAFE USEFUL LINKS Blog Safety Topics Preventative & Proactive Maintenance Residential & Electrical Energy Conservation Current Events Community Involvement DALLAS OFFICE Humphrey & Associates 972-620-1075 972-620-1155 infodallas@teamhumphrey.com Copyright ©2013 Humphrey & Associates. All Rights Reserved. Team Humphrey Email Login Website & Online Marketing by GameDay