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Whether you’ve experienced one or heard about them, power surges aren’t something that any homeowner expects, nor looks forward to. While it can strike at any time, just like lightning, they can cause an array of damage throughout your home — and sometimes, that’s due to something you can control. If you’re looking to prevent a surge from occurring, here are some things to keep in mind.
Don’t Pack Out a Power Strip
It’s a common sight in many homes to see a power strip that has several cords in it. From your laptop charger to the television, there’s no specific order as to what you can plug into this dock. However, if you happen to overload the power strip, especially if that strip is on one circuit, then we have some news for you: that can cause a power surge.
The reason being is that the circuit won’t be able to handle all of the power being drawn from multiple sources; each item that is plugged in requires a different amount of energy to turn on. Now, if a surge does occur, then there could even be a chance of an electrical fire in your home. To prevent this from happening, you’ll want to limit what you plug into power strips. For example, you wouldn’t want to plug your desktop computer into a strip that also hosts the cord for your living room lamp. Just remember: when in doubt, save some room on your power strip.
Be Mindful of Extremely Powerful Appliances
Sometimes, the truth hurts — and what you’re about to hear might not be the greatest news. Your appliances, whether it be the stove or fridge, use a lot of power when they’re in use. Regardless of where they’re located, there’s a chance that they could override a circuit, especially if they’re on the same one. Think of this as a larger scale version of the “crowded” power strip mentioned earlier.
When setting up your kitchen, or having a new appliance installed, make sure that they’re on separate circuits. While this isn’t something that you can see in plain sight, it is something that a licensed electrician can scout out. If an electrician notices that there could be a potential problem, they can then make some helpful changes to keep your home safe and lessen the chance of a power surge.
Have Hidden Wiring Inspected
Now, this particular subject lands within the same category of not knowing if more than one appliance shares the same circuit. Whether your home was recently built or has been around for quite some time, both have a fair chance of having some “pests” lingering in the walls. Regardless if it’s mice, rats, or some other creature, there’s a chance that they could nibble on the wiring and cause some hidden problems that you’re completely unaware of.
If you haven’t had any visible problems with your home’s electricity, or you haven’t experienced a power surge, then damaged wires can go unnoticed for quite some time until a problem occurs. To eliminate any second-guessing, and grasp peace of mind, it’s best to make an appointment for a licensed electrician to come in, review every square inch of your home’s electric and make any safety adjustments, if needed. If they sense that there’s a bigger problem at hand, then the best power surge preventative measure would entail rewiring, which would extract any damaged wiring and install new, up-to-code wiring for your home.
Have Whole House Surge Protection Installed
To further your electrical safety precautions, having a whole home surge protection installed can help keep you out of harm’s way. With the help of an electrician, surge protection will be installed on the meter of your electric panel. This will help protect your electricity like a shield and deflect any surges that try to come in contact.
When You Need a Highly-Skilled Electrician, Centennial is the Name to Trust!
Here at Centennial Plumbing, Heating & Electrical, we help Saskatoon residents, and the neighboring areas resolve, their electrical problems fast — and all for a great cost. Schedule your service today by calling (306) 500-7392, or click here to schedule your appointment online.