As a homeowner, every spring, there are certain aspects of your property that are crucial to maintain along with your daily tasks. A main aspect of springtime preparedness is to maintain your electricity and safety standards to keep your family safe. Use these three spring electrical tips from the Electric Connection specifically for Southern California homeowners.
Maintain Your Outlets
One of the most important parts of keeping your home safe from electrical issues is to protect your outlets from overload. It’s essential to keep your wires organized and uncrossed when you can. This can be difficult depending on your home, but focus on where you’re utilizing a lot of power strips, extension cords and outlets. In order to ensure electrical safety, store cords away when they’re not in use and don’t overload each outlet or power strip. If you realize that you don’t have enough places to plug in the appliances you want to use, the best solution is to increase the amount of outlets and power strips throughout your home. This is a reliable way to avoid the danger of extension cord hazards.
When an item is not in use anymore, unplug it from the outlet and tuck it away when possible. This will help organize your cables while avoiding your wires from getting tugged on, or being exposed to potential damage from a vacuum or another outside source. If an electrical item is frayed or the cord is damaged, it’s time to replace it rather than risk an electrical fire or electrocution. Keeping your cords hidden is critical when you have pets, as you don’t want them to chew on the accessible cords or vulnerable wiring.
Protect Your Appliances
In order to keep your electrical systems in great working condition, you’ll want to ensure that you are protecting your home appliances. As a Southern California homeowner, be mindful of the temperature of your appliances along with any wiring or flammable exposure. If your appliances are overused, they can go into overdrive. Another beneficial way to protect your appliances from electrical failure is by using surge protectors. Electrical surges can occur more often than you think. Be prepared by consistently checking your appliances for any electrical vulnerabilities.
It’s smart to invest in a home warranty policy. This plan can successfully protect your systems against deterioration and destruction. Since your electrical system is integral to your home, you’ll feel at ease knowing you’re covered in case anything goes awry. Do additional research accordingly to determine what policy fits your needs and what gives you the rapid response you’ll need. Another benefit to having a home warranty policy in place is that it will cover any repairs or replacements to your HVAC system, so you won’t have to worry about trying to fix it yourself.
Prepare For Spring Storms
In Southern California, the weather changes in the spring months rapidly, exposing your home’s electrical system to a variety of storms. During a large storm, you’ll want to ensure that you unplug any appliances and other electrical items to avoid damage during a voltage surge caused by lightning striking or a storm surge. Keeping them plugged in during a surge can cause wear and tear over time, which you’ll want to avoid to guarantee longevity of your appliances. Similar to your home appliances, clear all of your electrical items away from potential water damage exposure. It’s vital to unplug them and store them in safer places around your home, especially those big ticket items you don’t want to replace.
If you’re planning on working outside, make sure that the surrounding area has had time to dry off and you’re not in danger of electrocuting yourself while performing any routine home maintenance. At the end of your work outdoors, bring your tools back inside to a dry storage space like a tool bench or tool shed to keep them out of the elements. You’ll want to avoid using a tool that’s been left out in the rain at all costs to ensure safety during your work.
Conclusion
With these spring electrical tips in mind. you can ensure your safety while performing work on your home and stay comfortable when relaxing. Now is the time to put these tips to good use and keep your property in pristine condition.