Why Might You Need an Electrician? In Bedford
Update Wiring in Bedford
Older homes may not have wiring suitable for the amount of power needed for modern devices. These should be inspected by an electrician. Consider updating your wiring to make your home safer by increasing voltage capacity and bringing your wiring up to current codes.
Circuit Breakers and Fuses in Bedford
In order to stop too much current from flowing through a circuit, each circuit within the electric service panel has a circuit breaker or fuse. If a circuit breaker is tripped, turn off the appliances using too much power before resetting the circuit. For circuit breakers, those switched to “off” should be switched back to “on.” Blown fuses, on the other hand, need to be replaced. Fuses come in various sizes. Be sure never to replace a low-amp fuse with a high-amp fuse.
Also, in case of emergency, each panel has a main circuit breaker or fuse to shut off all the power used in the house.
Grounding and Surge Protectors in Bedford
As a safety precaution, most power cords have a third leg, the ground leg, which transmits power into the earth in case of emergency. Be aware that if a homeowner breaks the ground cord that they are liable for any damages to the appliance and warranty on that appliance becomes void.
Since power surges can harm electrical devices within the home, some homeowners install surge protectors to regulate the voltage through a grounding wire.
GFCIs
Other safety precautions such as ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs), prevent people from getting electrically shocked. You can choose either to install a GFCI on a single outlet or a circuit panel. When installed on a circuit panel, a GFCI checks the flow of electricity. This will interrupt the circuit if it senses a short to prevent injury. Be sure to test these often to ensure that they are working properly.
Back Up Generators in Bedford
In case of a power outage, many homeowners install backup generators to provide their homes with electricity. Most electricians sell and install these systems. Consider purchasing a back up generator that would only power a portion of your home. This would cost less than a generator that powers your entire home.
Also consider buying a manual or automatic generator. Both of these options switch the source of the home’s power to the generator. The only difference is that the manual generator needs to be wheeled out, plugged into the home’s wiring, and switched on. The automatic generator discerns the loss of power, and switches without any action needed from the homeowner.