There are around 51,000 electrical fires in the United States each year. If you want to avoid having an electrical fire in your home, every homeowner should be familiar with their electrical systems.
But what are the most important things that they should focus on? Keep reading to learn all you need to know about your electrical system.
1. What Causes a Circuit to Break?
If you want to have home lighting and power, you need to make sure that none of your breakers are tripped. To avoid that, you have to figure out what causes it to break.
A circuit breaker is a device that can cut off power to certain sections of your home. This happens when the current is unstable. The breaker prevents the circuits and wires from overheating, but this means that your electricity goes out as well.
These breakers will trip if there is too much current going into the house. This happens if you plug too many appliances into one outlet and the system can’t handle it anymore. It also happens if there is a short circuit in the system.
To correct this problem, you just need to find your panel and switch the breakers back to the on position.
2. How It Works
Your home’s electrical system is designed to send power to different circuits in the home. Each circuit is responsible for powering an appliance or set of appliances.
If you overload that circuit, then it will cause a fire. So you should only plug in a limited number of appliances in each outlet. If you still aren’t sure how much your system can handle, contact a home electrician.
3. What the Switches Are Connected To
When you move into a new home, take some time to learn about the switches and figure out what they’re connected to. Some of them may not be connected to anything.
Try plugging something into the switch that can make a noise. Then, test the breaker at each panel. If it isn’t working, unscrew the casing and see if the wire is connected or not.
4. What to Do if a Breaker Doesn’t Come Back On
If you have a tripped circuit breaker, you’ll need to reset it, but sometimes you may not be able to. If that happens, your circuit might be overloaded.
You should unplug everything and reset the breaker to see if that helps. If it was due to a short circuit, then you should leave it off and call an electrician.
5. What Are Knock-Out Plugs?
Your panel may also have knock-out plugs, but you should never use these. These are for the electrician so they can access the wiring.
However, some people might think that it’s meant for everyday appliances, but you shouldn’t use it. Instead, add a new, separate outlet.
Key Takeaways:
- Every homeowner should be aware of what causes their circuit breaker to trip and what the switches are connected to.
- Be sure to call your local New Jersey electrician with any questions you may have about your electrical system.
Discover More About What You Should Know About Your Electrical Systems
These are only a few things you need to know about your New Jersey home’s electrical systems, but there are many other factors that you’ll want to consider.
We know that your electrical system can be very confusing, but ROS Electric is here to help you out. Check out our website to find out how our services can help you, or contact us today to schedule a consultation!
Write a Comment