Electrical Safety in the Home

Electrical Safety In the Home Matters.

As an electrician and life long resident of Martin County I had seen the damage that electricity can cause when electrical safety measures are ignored. Believe me, electrical safety in the home matters.

Goodiel Electric is dedicated to promoting electrical safety in the home, school, and workplace.  To that end, I welcome the opportunities this site provides to engages in public education campaigns to prevent electrical fires, injuries, and fatalities.

Many people are unaware of the potential electrical hazards present in their home, which makes them more vulnerable to the danger of electrocution.

Whether you’re a consumer looking for ways to ensure safety in your home, a teacher in search of educational tools, or an industry professional working to create a safe working environment, Goodiel Electrics’ website should offers the resources you need.

The new year is upon us and we encourage people to keep electrical safety in mind as they strive for improvement in 2015.  People make New Year’s resolutions with the hopes of improving their quality of life. There is no better way to do that than by making sure your homes are free of electrical hazards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6FVBUBeQRM

The video above demonstrates the installation of a combination-type arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI).  If an unintentional ground is created this safety device detects the current drain and shuts off your electrical power to its circuit. These devices are different than circuit breakers which protect wires from overheating and sparking. A circuit breaker doesn’t protect you from electrocution, whereas a GFCI can.  Most electrical codes now require a GFCI device for newer homes.   Older home may have only circuit breakers. If you don’t know if your home has a GFCI or grounding for your appliances, you should find out before dealing with any electrical wiring project.

For your home safety, learn the basics of how home heating and electrical systems work, and making sure they are properly maintained:

1. Always have a qualified, licensed professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer instructions.
2. Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and inside and outside each sleeping area.
3. Have your furnace cleaned and inspected annually by a licensed, qualified professional.
4. Be sure circuit breakers and fuses are correctly labeled with their amperage and the rooms, circuits, or outlets they service.
5. Have a qualified, licensed electrician replace your standard circuit breakers with combination-type arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs), which provide enhanced electrical fire protection.
6. Make sure ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) are installed in your kitchen, bathrooms, workshop, basement, garage, outdoors, and any other areas where water and electricity are likely to come in contact.
7. Examine electrical outlets and replace missing or broken wall plates to ensure that wiring and components are not exposed.
8. Childproof your home by installing tamper resistant receptacles (TRRs), to prevent childhood shock and burn injuries from tampering with a wall outlet.