Understanding Your Home's Electrical Wiring

According to National Fire Protection Association, approximately 358,500 homes experience a structural fire each year. A big portion of these fires is caused by electrical problems and the house’s electrical wiring. For many reasons, it is important for every homeowner to know the basics of their home’s electrical wiring. This way, they will know what steps to take and what to avoid.

When You Should Not Try DIY?

Most of the time when someone has a problem with their electrical system, they tend to try out DIY methods to solve it. However, this is a hard thing to do if your house has old wiring. Without the proper knowledge, you may try to install new components to your old system. Additionally, older homes usually have the problem of improper grounding. When you open a switch, you would probably notice that there are only two wires, and if there’s no ground wire, you can’t be sure whether that outlet is safe to use or not. Like these, there are many factors to consider when you are changing a part of your old wiring. If you aren’t an expert on wiring, it would be wise to start from scratch and work with a professional. You wouldn’t like it if your valuable electronics are harmed because of something that is easily preventable.

Problems With Your Old Wiring

If you have an old wiring system, unfortunately, you may have to deal with many problems. Some of these are:

• No grounding
• Broken Power Lines
• Malfunctioning electronic appliances
• Malfunctioning light switches
• Tripped circuit breaker
• Overloaded breaker
• Extreme lighting (either too bright or too dim)
• High electricity bills

Avoid These Mistakes

It is important for every tenant and homeowner to be educated on what to be careful with in order to avoid harm.

• Do not connect the electrical wires to the outside of junction boxes. If you don’t already have a junction box, make sure to get one as soon as possible.
• The wire length should be at least three inches. Do not shorten your cables.
• If your outlets have loose connections or switches, do not use them.
• If you intend to install a three-slot outlet, make sure that a ground wire is present too. Never do it without a ground wire.
• To prevent wire insulation from cutting, secure the cable in place.

Don’t Take Risks

Understanding your home’s wiring is a very delicate job. If you are new to the whole concept, it is natural for you to not know whether your house’s electrical wiring is safe or not. Because of this, before trying out anything new, the only secure course of action is to consult a certified electrician about your home's electrical wiring. With the help of a professional electrician, you can leave your worries about the safety of your system. For this, all you have to do is to call experts of HomeOps Electric and schedule an appointment to arrange an electrical inspection service. Additionally, if you are experiencing problems regarding your electrical system, our electricians can help you solve your problem in the safest and most effective manner. Contact our team today.