Are you worried about your homes electrical safety? Would it give you peace of mind to know that your home’s electricity is working well and does not pose a hazard to your health and well-being? If this is you, you’re in luck because we’ve outlined a basic electrical home safety inspection you can perform yourself.
If you’re not quite comfortable doing this on your own, you can call our team from Hop2It Electrical to do it for you. We can also perform additional testing that requires specialized knowledge and technology, or we can repair any electrical problems that you find. Read on to learn what you need to get started or simply reach out to our expert Fort Worth electricians today.
Home Safety Questionnaire
Below are a few tips and questions to ask when you are evaluating the electrical safety of your home:
- Are smoke detectors present in the hallways and bedrooms?
- Are switches warm or hot to the touch?
- Are outlets 3-prong or 2-prong?
- Are outlets broken or not working?
- Are switches loose or not working?
- Do you test GFCI plugs on a regular basis?
- Are there Arc fault breakers present in your electrical panel?
- Do you have a main breaker on your electrical panel?
Check Your Fuse Panel or Breaker Box
If your electrical panel gets overloaded, it can cause a fire. Check your panel to make sure it’s not full. You may even want to flip a couple of your breakers to make sure they are working as designed.
These boxes aren’t intended to last for more than 20-30 years. If yours is that old, it’s time to have it inspected by a professional to make sure it’s still functioning as intended.
Examine Cords and Wires
Take a look at all of the electrical cords in your house, as well as at any wiring that you can see. Make sure that the plastic housing over the cord is intact and that the wires are not fraying. If they are, it may be time to replace the cord or the device that it is attached to.
Test Your GFCI Outlets and Circuits
GFCI circuits are designed for places where your electrical system risks coming into contact with water. If that contact happens, the circuit turns off. This protects you and your home.
GFCI outlets usually come with a “Test” button. Pressing this should turn off the circuit. Go around your house and press these buttons as you find them to make sure your circuits will turn off when they need to. If they don’t, contact us about replacing the outlet.
Professional Electrical Safety Inspections
At Hop2It Electrical, we want you to have the home electrical safety and security that you need to live well and not worry about your house. You can read one of our previous blog posts to learn some electrical safety tips, call us for more details about electrical safety or schedule your electrical home safety inspection with one of our professionals.