Tips from an Electrician: 3 Dangers to Avoid This Winter
Article published in Northampton Living
(February 2021)
EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR
TIM HODNICKI
Electrician
Electrical Experts
+ 1 413 527 2400
electricalexperts.com
The winter months are peak season for house fires. Sadly, many homes are destroyed or significantly damaged during the winter months because of heating equipment and faulty wiring. We can help you learn to spot the signs and avoid common pitfalls. Fires caused by electrical issues are the 3rd leading cause of damages in US homes each year. However, if you know what to look for and how to avoid pitfalls, you can protect yourself and your home.
If you can avoid these three pitfalls, you’ll be on the road to a safe and happy winter season:
1. Ignoring Problems: Generally speaking, it’s easy to ignore inconveniences. From tripped circuit breakers to warm service panels, you may think these are minor issues, but they are problems. A faulty electrical panel is a serious safety risk to your home. Another good rule of thumb for electrical systems is that if your wires, outlets, or panels are ever warm to the touch, it’s a bad sign. Don’t wait or ignore inconveniences because they tend to become worse, not better.
2. Overloading Your Electrical System: It’s important not to overload your electrical system by plugging too many items onto a single circuit. Extension cords are the main offender, and they are typically used for long-term solutions when they should not be used in that capacity. From portable heaters to new toys, the winter months usually see an uptick in electricity output and can strain your home’s electrical system. Flickering lights and tripped circuit breakers are a sign your electrical system is experiencing an increase in demand it cannot maintain.
3. Circumventing Safeguards & Ignoring Signs: Your breakers are a vital safety mechanism that prevents your electrical system from becoming overwhelmed. During the winter months, we are likely to plug in many more appliances and gadgets than usual. All of our holiday goodies and heating appliances can stretch the capacity of a circuit. If you find that the same circuit breaker is being tripped each time, even after reconfiguring your gadgets, you should have the circuit inspected by a professional.
An Electrician’s Advice: When it’s cold outdoors, we are all looking for reasons to stay inside. Staying inside means using your home systems and creating more opportunities for emergencies if you aren’t careful. Winter leads to everything from tripped circuit breakers and blown fuses to generally dangerous electrical use. Being prepared and understanding what these issues mean for your home electrical system’s operations can go a long way toward preventing hazardous situations and avoidable electrical problems.
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