Two Electrical Safety Tips For New Homeowners

Electricity is a modern luxury that few people could do without, but despite its usefulness, electrical power can be immensely dangerous to people. Whether it is causing painful electrical starts or starting raging fires, electrical problems can escalate to a dangerous level. Sadly, some new homeowners may not fully understand the steps needed to protect their families from these threats. However, following these tips can go a long way towards preventing these major problems in your own home.

Ensure Outlets Are Not Warm To The Touch

One of the first signs of a potentially dangerous electrical problem is warmth coming from the outlets. Sadly, most people pay little attention to their outlets, and this may make them unaware of the problem until it is too late. Fortunately, you can help protect your home from electrical damage by feeling the outlets on an occasional basis. 

When a wiring problem is present, the outlet will start to heat up. Usually, this process will start as a gradual warming, but it can get to the point where the outlet is almost too hot to touch. If you ever notice your outlet becoming warmer than usual, you should immediately turn off the breaker to that room and contact an experienced electrician from a company like Central Electric Inc to come inspect the outlet. This simple step can help prevent an electrical fire from destroying your home. 

Turn Off The Circuit Breaker If You Smell Burning Plastic

In older homes, it is a relatively common problem for individuals to smell burning plastic throughout the house. This is a sign of either excessive voltage going through a wire or damaged wiring insulation. In addition to being extremely unpleasant, the odor from this problem indicates a real and severe fire threat to your home. 

The instant you smell this odor you should go to the circuit breaker and turn them all to the off position while you determine where the smell is coming from. If you are able to narrow it down to a specific room, you can simply turn off power to that room while you wait for an electrician to come repair the damaged wiring. 

Electrical issues can be both a major nuisance and potentially life-threatening problem. Sadly, it is not uncommon for new homeowners to have a very limited knowledge about this part of their home. By checking outlets for unusually high temperatures and turning off the circuit breaker when burning plastic is smelled, you can help your home avoid some common sources of major damage.