The electrical system of a home structure is perhaps one of the most important aspects of a thriving infrastructure. And that’s not just because it means proper light and power to use tools and devices, but because the lack of it can and does result in considerable damages incurred to the property and the people occupying it.

In fact, Home accidents and injuries that turn fatal are a very common occurrence in any country. While there are any number of reasons for them, people generally fail to realize just how many home incidents are caused due to faulty electrical systems. As such, it’s imperative that homeowners periodically get the home or business’s electrical systems thoroughly tested to ensure that there’s no potential for disaster. Bi-annually regular electrical system inspections work quite well in such circumstances. However, there are a number of other reasons that require period electrical testing. They include:

In Preparation of Natural Disasters

If you’ve moved to a part of the country that frequently suffers Mother Nature’s wrath in the form of tornadoes, hurricanes, twisters, or violent storms, you should definitely schedule electrical system inspections on a regular basis. You want to be sufficiently prepared to live through the worst of the storms instead of being caught off guard.

After Natural Disasters Strike

The storm aftermath and subsequent flooding that usually follows a natural disaster is ugly to say the least and can have a severe impact on the health of the electrical system in your home. You want to schedule an electrical inspection soon after a natural disaster strikes to ensure the safety of you and your home.

Before Purchasing a New Home

Its always a good idea to get a thorough inspection of the property you’re planning to purchase. However, we don’t mean that you limit yourself to the foundations and the likes of the structure itself. No, we’re very explicit about including a thorough electrical inspection of the place before you sign on the dotted line. The reasons are twofold. One, in case if the property is brand new, is that you want to ensure that the new home is habitable and the electrical system to up par to the national standards of safety. The second, in case of a previously constructed home, is to see whether the property you plan to buy is free of any possible dangerous electrical situations. You don’t want any surprises sprung on you soon after you settle down.

Before and After Installing a Swimming Pool

Swimming pools are a huge undertaking that require a partial readjustment of the very foundations of a home. This means that when installing a swimming pool, there are considerable chances of the electrical system incurring some hefty damages that might prove significantly harmful to the occupants of the home. As such, it’s advisable to not only opt for a thorough electrical system testing before the installation of one, but also after it to ensure that the use of such will not lead to any unfavorable or unsafe conditions.

Q. Why Do Circuit Breakers Keep Tripping?

A circuit breaker tripping is perhaps one of the most common electrical faults we encounter in Raleigh. While there are a number of reasons why, the popular ones include that way too many high-powered electrical items have been plugged in into the circuit. A home’s electrical system is designed to cater to a certain electric demand and no more. When you exceed that demand the circuit breakers trip for safety reasons. It could also be because there is a fault in the fuse or the breaker itself.

Q. What Are ‘Short Circuits’, And Why Are They A Problem?

A short circuit happens when the electrical flow is partially blocked or diverted to where it shouldn’t go. Usually the hot wire, the one which carries the electrical current comes in contact with the equipment ground or the grounded conductor generating excess heat. They’re a problem because when the unnecessary heat is generated sparks may fly, literally. Though circuit breakers are present to curtail electricity in the event of a short circuit, left unchecked, they can cause fires.

Q. What Is A GFCI Breaker/Plug? How Many Do I Need?

GFCI, or short for ground fault circuit interrupter is an electrical breaker or outlet that is used to protect you and your home from being electrocuted and extensive damage. The GFCI plug prevents the electric current from traveling to where it isn’t supposed to go. It’s a good idea to invest in GCFI outlets in the dangerous areas of your home including the kitchen, bathroom and of course the garage.

Q. Is It Possible To Cut Off The Third Prong On Various Electrical Items To Fit Them In 2-prong Outlets?

The third prong is VERY important for electrical devices. It is what prevents you from receiving a deadly electric shock, and hence it is completely ill-advised to cut them off. Opt instead to upgrade your home’s outlets to accommodate three-prong plugs.

Q. Why Do Lights Go Dim Whenever A Washing Machine Is Switched On?

Larger electrical devices such as the washing machine, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner or refrigerator consume a large amount of electrical current to run the electric motors present in all such devices. The washing machine might be putting a greater load on the circuit while it reaches the optimum operating speed hence causing it the lights in the house to go dim. However, this is usually nothing to be concerned about. As soon as these devices attain the desired operating speed, lesser energy is consumed and the lights return to their maximum brightness.

Q. What Are Tamper Resistant Plugs And How Are They A Better Choice?

Exactly what the name suggests, the tamper resistant plugs are electrical plugs designed to prevent damage when people, mostly children, try to tamper them. They look and work exactly like regular outlets do. The only major difference is the presence of plastic guards in the outlet opening that prevent anyone from sticking anything inside the plug. They also don’t function unless prongs fit into both the outlet openings together further preventing any chances of electric shock in cases of children attempting to stick a metal object into one often.

Q. Is It Safe To Use Regular Extension Cords Outside?

There are various different types of extension cords available for use. There are different ones for different purposes and areas including outside or inside the house. The conventional extension cords brought to be used inside the home are unsuitable for outside use because they lack the special protective covering to prevent damage from the elements. Consider buying extension cords made specifically for outside use.

Safety First

First and foremost, let us talk about safety options for lighting and electrical work obviously go hand in hand. Think about tamper resistant outlet and three-prong ones, GFCI plugs and breakers, fuses along with Residual current devices and of course properly checked wiring. However, lighting safety doesn’t just end there. Opt for brightly lit stairways, bathrooms, and all the places that can be a potential hazard for you or your family when in the dark.

Consider Dimmers

One of the best kept secrets of a good lighting design for your home is the use of light dimmers. Lighting creates the atmosphere and sets the environment in your home. What better than being able to control exactly how much light you need in the space you’re in. Give a room some intrigue, some drama with dim light, or brighten things up at night, change the lights depending on your mood and your company.

Lights and Energy Consumption

Most people tend to romanticize home renovations and forget about energy consumption and electricity bills when they’re shopping for the best chandeliers and lights and lamps for their home. However, it’s important to keep energy consumption and wattage at the forefront of your mind when lighting up your house. Try and understand that not only rooms require the same amount of lighting. Functional rooms such as the laundry and bathroom need more wattage while the lounge or dining area, not so much. The bulbs and lights that use more watts are the one that rack up the most bills because they’re consuming a greater amount of energy. The alternatives such as LED bulbs or the longer lasting CFL ones do tend to cost more upfront, however, they’re quite economical in the long-term.

Fixtures and Fixture Sizes

Lighting is quite possibly the jewelry that your home wears. It plays a vital role in influencing how your home looks. Your choice of light fixtures, fixture sizes and types all influence whether the lighting in your home is subtle and pleasing, or is your home piercing bright with lights better suited to a stadium instead of a residential house. Use layered lighting with different overhead, task and accent lighting. Pick proportionate light fixtures keeping in mind the ambiance of the room and its size. An over-sized lamp on a small table besides a cozy sofa seat wouldn’t do, nor would small hanging light on top of a rather large sized formal dining table.

Electrical emergencies can be far more chaotic if people have no idea what they are doing. Equally as unfortunate is when people do what they weren’t supposed to during an electrical emergency. Although there is help available, technical as well as medical, it pays to know how to handle the situation until said help arrives.

Emergency services as well as electricians are available for the people of Raleigh. Keeping the circumstances from getting bad to worse is the duty of every citizen of Raleigh as a responsible individual.

Here’s what to do in an Electrical Emergency:

1. Contact the emergency services and a reliable electrician from your cell phone. Do not use the landline as there might be a risk you getting electrocuted.
2. Shut off the mains power if there is even a slight risk of electric shock or fault in the home’s wiring. This will keep further damage from happening which can escalate the situation from bad to worse.
3. Specifically instruct all family members to steer clear of any electrical sockets or appliances.
4. If there is a risk of fire, get everyone out of the house. Children and elders first: they stand the highest risk of getting left behind.
5. If there is a power outage, switch off all appliances and unplug them from sockets immediately. Close off all switches but an energy saving light bulb in a central room to indicate when the power comes back on.
6. If there is an incident of electrical shock, check for a pulse and heart beat on the individual. Perform resuscitation if, and only if, you are properly trained, otherwise wait for emergency services, as they don’t take long to arrive.
7. If the person is in contact with the current source, it is probably best to stay away because you may get electrically shocked as well. Dress burns and blisters with non-sticking dressings if you spot them.

Here’s what not to do:

1. Don’t ever think of applying oils or any kind of ointment onto the electrical burns in order to heal them. These balms, oils or ointments will only serve to burn them further.
2. Leave candles out of the equation. If there is an outage, the use of candles may further worsen the situation. Candles can tip over and fall, causing a fire. Emergency lights are there for a reason, have them on standby for these situations.
3. If your only option is using candles, do not leave them unattended, use ones with broader bases and safely light them. Broader based candles have a lesser chance of tipping and falling over.
4. Don’t ever touch a person who is already in contact with a power source or exposed live wire. While they are shocked their muscles are contracted and cause them to hang on to the initial contact surface.
5. If you touch a person still in contact with a power source, even by accident, you will get shocked yourself as the current will find a way to flow through them to you.
6. An accident that causes power lines to break and fall in a red zone. Don’t go near the area and don’t even think about touching the power lines. There may be fencing that might have gotten charged. Keep away.
7. Put out electrical fires using water. The risk of electrical shock is real and shouldn’t be ruled out. It’s a fire caused by electricity so water is out of the question.

It is always best to call in the help of experts to make the best out of a bad circumstance.

Qualification/Experience

Now more than ever before, thanks to the digital era that we live in where every tiny appliance in our home is electricity operated, it’s imperative that your home’s electrical system not only functions smoothly but is also up-to-date with all the latest technologies. Hence, it’s important to carefully consider the following when choosing an electrician in Raleigh.

Before hiring an electrician service, it is key that you check if they have the necessary qualifications and experience to undertake the task at hand and complete it in an efficient manner. You wouldn’t want an amateur to handle an electrical problem in your home and mess up the wires. Be sure the electrician you hire has been in the business for a while and has adequate experience.

License/Insurance

License and proof of insurance are essential factors that should determine whether or not you hire a particular electrical service for your job. If an electrician or electrical service is the real deal, they’ll have an authentic and valid license for you to look over. Also, it’s a good idea to ask for copies of current policies of all the necessary insurances. It’s better to be upfront and protect yourself than to be sorry later.

Value for Money

For any sort of home renovation, be it construction or electrical work, it’s important to specifically outline exactly what you need. Choose, and directly state the sort of material, fittings etc you need used and have the electrician give you a price quote with a complete breakdown of all the expenses incurred. You wouldn’t want to be hit with a few hundred dollars worth of hidden charges or be conned into having expensive things installed that are completely outside your budget. That said, value for money shouldn’t be the sole basis of your choice in an electrician. There are also other far important things to take into consideration before you finalize the contract.

Consumer Reviews

It’s a good idea to get referral and other customer’s reviews for the electrical service you are considering hiring. Consumer reviews and recommendations will give you a fair idea of who you’re dealing with and help save you from having to work with a tradesman that works with an unpleasant attitude or displays poor workmanship.

Communication Skills

For something that can get as complicated as lighting and electrical work, one should choose an electrician that’s good with communication and ensures that everything is laid out clear in the client/contractor contract. You wouldn’t want things to get lost in translation and for you to get a sort of service you won’t be happy with in the short or long term. Pick an electrician that you can communicate with and one that you can trust with your home.