Electrical Outlet Maintenance Tips

Home fires are commonly caused by defective electrical outlets. About 25,000 electrical fires every year could be attributed to faulty electrical outlets, which cause more than $1 billion in property damages. When it comes to reducing your home’s risks of electrical fires, you need to conduct routine maintenance on electrical outlets. It prevents malfunctions that could lead to expensive repairs later on. Listed below are five tips to help make sure that the often overlooked outlets in your house stay in good working condition. Test Your Outlets Regularly Florence Electrician Pros recommend that you have a monthly schedule to test every electrical outlet in your home for safety. You can buy cheap outlet testers at any home hardware store. They have a three prong plug, each equipped with indicator lights. When you plug the tester into every outlet, the lights will show any issues with the outlet in question. Knowing an electrical problem early significantly lowers the chances of a home fire or the development of a costlier and larger electrical issue in the future. Replace Old Wiring If you discover worn out and damaged electrical wiring, you have to replace them right away. The process is simple and you can even change the wiring of the outlets on your own if you have the right tools and skills. In case you have a lot of outlets or more complex issues, a qualified electrician can perform the work safely and more effectively for you. Never Skimp On Parts There are several instances where it is much better to buy cheaper product knock-off, however, this does not apply to the replacement parts for your electrical outlets. Buy parts that are certified by an established and reputable safety certification institution such as Underwriters Laboratories. The extensive testing that replacement parts go through gives you an assurance that they are safe to use. Never Fix Your Wiring In case the problem with your wiring is much more serious than typical wear and tear, it is a must to hand over the project to a professional electrician. You must never try to fix your own wiring in case you don’t have the experience. Most home electrical fires have been attributed to the incorrect installation and repair by amateurs. Therefore, it is much safer and more affordable to consult with a professional Florence electrician. Maintain All Electrical Outlets In Your Home When conducting routine maintenance on your electrical outlets, never forget to check all those that are located outdoors, hidden in the attic, or in your basement. These are places that homeowners usually forget about. However, they can still cause a lot of damage. Make a list of your home’s electrical outlets and inspect them regularly for issues. Monthly maintenance can assist you in preventing major electrical issues later on and maybe most importantly, electrical fires at home. Of course, call a professional electrician in case of actual danger.

Call Florence Electrician Pros if you have any issues with your electrical outlet or your electrical system in general.

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Signs Your Wall Switches Are Defective

A wall switch is used a thousand times during the course of its lifespan. It eventually wears out and become defective and the initial sign of trouble is when it acts in any way that is not normal. For instance, if there is an audible snap, crackle, or popping sound once you flip the lever then it is obvious that your wall switch is defective. You have to replace it yourself or hire an electrician. Other warning signs are more subtle while others are pretty obvious. Listed below are a few indications that you need to know about. Temperamental Lights You may have had this experience before. You turn on the light switch and it takes a few seconds before the lights go on. This is a sign that the metal parts inside your wall switches are starting to wear out and its contacts are no longer able to make the connections required to fulfill the electrical path and let the light illuminate. Although not always, there are instances when this problem is accompanied by a loose switch lever, which has lost its snap every time you flip it. Even if this doesn’t happen all the time, you still need to replace the switch. Sparking Switches There are times when you will notice a small spark coming from your wall switch whenever you turn it on. It might be due to a load arc that happens when electricity moves between the contacts as whenever they pull away from one another. Once the contacts are far from each other, the spark will stop. Given that, a large spark or one that makes a weird sound could mean a faulty light switch. If the sparking is accompanied with smoke, or if you see scorch marks on the switch toggle or cover plate, then you have to replace your wall switch. Noisy switches A defective light switch can make various noises but it can mostly be described by sizzling, clicking, buzzing, or popping. It may be due to a loose wire connection, so be sure to have it checked by an electrician. Switch Does Not Feel Right Your fingers are commonly the best detectors of a faulty light switch. If you notice the switch toggle is behaving differently, perhaps it lost its snap or is stiffer than usual – it may be worn out and needs to be replaced before it causes a bigger and more dangerous electrical problem. A switch that feels warmer than it supposed to be is another warning sign. There might be a problem with the electrical circuit or there might be a loose wire contact. When it comes to dimmer switches, they commonly feel warm to touch because they generate heat, which is dissipated on the face of the switch as well as the electrical box. Do not worry if they are a little warm to the touch. However, if it feels uncomfortably hot, you need to have it replaced or fixed by a Florence electrician.

Call Florence Electrician Pros if you are having problems with your wall switches or any other electrical issues.

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Electrical Safety Tips For The Holidays

The holiday season is here during this time of the year, several people decorate their houses for the holidays. There are some families that begin decorating at Halloween and change their ornaments for each holiday that comes until New Year’s Eve. You have to be safety conscious if you have plans of decorating your home since nobody wants their holidays to turn into an accident. You can do this yourself or hire an electrician who can help you out. Inspect Everything Before you use any holiday decoration, be sure that you check it closely. You should be searching for broken or missing bulbs, sockets, or plugs that are damaged or cracked or perhaps wires that are bare or loose, and any other kind of damage. You should also check any extension cords that you can use to connect the holiday decorations. Keep in mind that your holiday ornaments have been stored for the last year, they can become damaged or deteriorate during the time that they were being stored. You have the option to go the DIY route or call a Florence electrician to conduct the electrician for you. Never Overload Electrical Outlets Among the most dangerous and biggest mistakes that people make whenever they decorate their houses during the holidays is to overload electrical outlets. Avoid overloading the electrical outlets because this is one of the primary causes of house fires during the holidays. Make sure that you plug only one high wattage appliance into every outlet. It is also highly recommended to use a power strip or extension cord with circuit breakers installed as an extra level of safety. Incandescent Lights They are usually used for holiday decorations these days, however, a few people still enjoy the appearance of brighter and larger bulbs. In case you use incandescent lights whenever you are decorating your house for the holiday season, never connect over 3 strings of these lights together. The primary reason behind this is that incandescent bulbs need more wattage compared to modern LED lights, so whenever you connect over three strings of incandescent bulbs in sequence, you might trip a breaker or blow a fuse. Christmas Tree In case you have a live Christmas tree, never allow it to dry out. When a Christmas tree is cut, it can quickly dry out, so you have to water your tree daily to make sure that it is as fresh as possible. However, you cannot keep it inside your house for a longer period of time. Christmas trees that have dried out are among the primary causes of house fires during the holidays. Candles A lot of homeowners love the scent and look of candles that are burning inside their house during the holidays, however, it is a lot safer to utilize battery operated candles whenever possible. Candles that are unattended cause over half of all home fires that happen during the holidays. In case you have to use candles during the holidays, do so carefully. Don’t let them burn without proper supervision and make sure that all the candles you have used are out before you go to bed. Keep Clearance Around Heat Source In case you are burning a fireplace, operating a kerosene or electric space heater, or utilizing some other kind of heat source, be sure that all combustible materials are at a minimum of three feet from the source of the heat. A few of these combustibles are curtains, furniture, gifts with wrapping paper, Christmas tree, and all the other things that can catch fire easily. Once again, several holiday fires are due to combustible items that are left too close to the source of heat. Protect Cords From Potential Damage Once you set up your holiday decorations, consider where the cords will be when you’re finished. Make sure that electrical as well as extension cords are protected from getting damaged. Be sure that they’re pinched by furniture, be sure that won’t be hit by the vacuum, when used outside don’t leave cords lying across walkways and driveways, and be sure all connections are watertight. Another important thing you need to ensure is that closing windows and doors must not damage the electrical cord and they need to be placed at least three feet from any source of heat.

Call Florence Electrician Pros if you need professional help in making sure that your electrical system is safe and well maintained just in time for the holidays.

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