Powering Your Home Safely

Weston luxury homes

Ever been watching a great movie when the power goes out? Or, cooking a fantastic meal to only have the electricity quit?

It has happened to most of us. Circuit breakers blow in properties, including Weston luxury homes, if there are too many electrical devices plugged into it and turned on.

Electrical outlets that are relied upon heavily and placed on a single circuit are sure to trip. Besides the hassle of having to restart electrical devices, reset clock times and other such things, an overloaded circuit is hazardous for Weston luxury homes and other properties.

Locate Electrical Problems

An overloaded circuit is just one of the possible problems when a circuit breaker is tripped. If this happens routinely, then you may need to research the issue to solve the problem.

Circuit breakers will trip in Weston luxury homes if the electrical circuit is:

  • Overloaded: As stated above, this usually occurs when there are too many items plugged into one outlet or multiple outlets that are all connected to one circuit.
  • Shorted: Wiring issues are the cause of electrical shorts. Either two wires are inappropriately touching or there is a break in a wire. This situation can be quite dangerous and should be examined by a professionally certified electrician.
  • Grounded: This is a type of short where the “hot” wire is touching the ground wire or metal box. As mentioned previously, this can turn into a hazardous situation if not corrected by a certified electrician.

If you are continual having electrical problems, like a circuit breaker tripping, then you need to reassess what is plugged into that particular circuit and rearrange your electrical setup.

Homeowners can avoid experiencing too many blackouts by keeping in mind the following recommendations from the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI):

Check Circuit for Overloading. If a circuit is tripping routinely than you need to learn its capacity. You also should check the power requirements for all of the electrical items currently plugged into any of the outlets that rely on that circuit, as well as the light fixtures that feed to it. By calculating the power requirements and the circuit capacity, you may find a solution to the problem.

Reliance on Power Strips. If you rely heavily on power strips than you probably don’t have enough power outlets to address your needs. Consider adding electrical outlets to your home where it seems you need them most.

Do Not Piggy Back Multiple Plug Outlets. Multiple plug outlets should always be directly plugged into electrical receptacles and should never be chained or piggy backed together. This type of setup is likely to overload the circuit, particularly if all outlets are used.

Only Use Certified Power Strips and Extension Cords. Buying cheap power strips or extension cords may be a hazard if they are not certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory such as UL, CSA, or ETL. Be sure you don’t short change yourself at the cash register and end up with a hefty electrical bill later. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions and follow the outlined instructions.

Extension Cords are for Temporary Use. Extension cords should be used sparingly and temporarily. If you are using an extension cord as an additional outlet, you really need to have another electrical outlet installed.

Three-Prong and Two-Prong Outlets. Never remove the ground pin in a three prong receptacle to make it fit an older two-prong outlet. This may give the appearance that the plug is grounded when it is not. This can create a serious shock hazard since electricity leaking to the casing can create an energized surface that could electrocute someone.

Hanoi photos / Shutterstock.com

Florida Realty News
Florida Realty News
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty, a wholly-owned subsidiary of WCI Communities, has over 39 locations and more than 1,650 real estate sales professionals and team members serving 17 counties throughout Florida.
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