Celebrate Electrical Safety Month Is This May!

Electrical Safety Tips for This Month and Always 

Electricity, for all of its convenience, does carry some hazards. It’s no secret that electricity can cause problems like electrocution and fires when it isn’t properly respected. Fortunately, in modern society, decades of developments in technology for electrical safety as well as stringent building codes, have made electricity much safer over the years. 

This May, look back and appreciate how safe electricity is compared to earlier years. For this Electrical Safety Month, look forward and learn about some steps to take to keep the home safe from the hazards of electricity. Here are the best ways to observe Electrical Safety Month. 

Electrical Safety Devices

From the very beginning, technology for making electricity safer was being developed. Unfortunately, the technology hadn’t come to fruition for those in the early days. Today, in every home and business, there is an entire catalog of devices intended to make electricity safe. Some of the most important developments in electrical safety devices are: 

• Fuses: Fuses were an early development to prevent overcurrent in circuits. However, the technology proved so reliable they are still found in devices and homes today, where they prevent damage to sensitive electronics and fires. 
• Circuit Breakers: These devices are essentially upgraded fuses. They perform the same function as fuses, but they are designed to be reset instead of needing to be changed. 
• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters: GFCIs were crucial to electricity safety in wet locations. These devices immediately stop current when they sense electricity has changed paths within a circuit. 
• Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters: Like GFCIs, these devices immediately cut off current, except these are designed specifically to sense arcs in a circuit that could cause fires. 

Avoiding Circuit Overloads 

One of the most common electrical hazards is circuit overload. Circuit overloads happen all the time when owners and members of a household require more current than a circuit can allow. This occurs when too many devices are plugged into a circuit, drawing more power than the hardware in the circuit can handle. The signs that circuit overloads are present are: 

• Blown fuses or tripped breakers
• Outlets and cords that are warm to the touch
• Browned-out electronics
• Arcing or electrical fires
• Evidence of overheating, like soot or melted hardware
• Burnt odors 

To stop the hazard of overloaded circuits, stop using power strips and outlet expanders. Split uploads to other circuits by using outlets in different rooms. 

Protect the Home and Devices with Surge Protectors 

Most of the hazards discussed above are risks to the home or people within the home. What about the sensitive electronics that are so necessary in today’s world? Too often, power surges that result from weather events or problems at the power plant damage electronics. Luckily, there is a hassle-free way to protect the home from power surges. 

Whole-house surge protectors install inside the electrical panel and stop power surges. This protects devices like cell phones and computers so swings in voltage don’t damage them. With these simple devices, homeowners can do away with numerous power strips and rely on their whole-home surge protection. 

About Edison Electric, Inc.

Edison Electric, Inc. has helped thousands of customers keep their homes safe over nearly 20 years in business. Their professional technicians offer the latest technology and always observe the highest level of safety. Call today for hassle-free electric services in Minneapolis, MN. 

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