Wintertime is a wonderful season filled with many good reasons to put up your holiday lights, turn up your indoor heating and get cozy with family gatherings. However, as much as you want to enjoy all that the winter months provide, the demands put on your property’s electrical system increase significantly.
In order to avoid any major electrical issues this winter, consider avoiding these 3 disasters that are all too common, yet 100% preventable.
Increased Risk of Electrical Fires
Every winter, many households unbox their Christmas lights, village houses, electrical blankets, space heaters and other winter-season electrical items. These corded items may be frayed, old or worn out, leading to major electrical problems. Bad electrical wiring of appliances or your home poses a threat to the safety of your home’s electrical system. Outdated devices could cause unnecessary stress and a risk of an electrical fire.
Space heaters specifically are the cause of numerous amounts of house and apartment fires each year. Not only are they inefficient by requiring a sizable amount of energy consumption, but they are easy to forget about when you leave the house. They may cause fabrics or other nearby combustible materials to overheat and start a fire. It’s best to skip the space heater if possible, or only plug it in and remove the electrical cord when it’s not in use.
Short-Circuiting Your Breakers
The overuse of electricity on your electrical breakers is a serious problem that could have devastating consequences. Letting constant electricity voltage circulate throughout the inside of your home and outdoor environment is hazardous.
If you find your breakers are tripping more frequently, consider it a warning of a much greater problem if not addressed. You might also experience flickering lights which shows the struggle your home is having to keep up with the watts and voltage of all your running electrical appliances and systems.
Static Electricity Shocks
With so little humidity in the air, static electricity is more likely to occur in the dry, winter months in this region. Out-of-balance electrical currents do not mix well when flammable or explosive substances are nearby. The charge imbalance in the air leads to static electricity shocks. Should you notice these shocks occurring more frequently, take it as a sign of more dangerous conditions.
Electric shocks could become worse than a momentary zap to your body, but depending on the severity of the static electricity, it could lead to burns on your skin or even disrupt the normal rhythm of your heart, stopping it from functioning. Anyone using a pacemaker is at increased risk.
Taking Preventative Action
The best actions to take are preventive measures to avoid costly electrical disasters this winter. Conducting your own walk-through of your home to assess what cords, outlets, breakers and appliances you may need to replace or fix both indoors and outdoors is a good start.
Contacting a professional electrician is the next best step to ensure your home is safe and ready for an enjoyable holiday season without any risk of fires or electrical malfunctions. Electrical accidents could be fatal but thankfully are mostly avoidable. Paying attention to anything that doesn’t appear right or seems obviously unsafe is enough to contact a professional and receive thorough oversight and guidance on what actions should be taken.
Call B&D Industries for All Your Electrical Needs
For more than 65 years, B&D has worked tirelessly to provide residents and commercial properties in the Southwest with a wide range of services to keep their homes and businesses running smoothly. We are the go-to for residential and commercial electrical repairs and are here to assist you.
