It’s an exciting time when you become a new homeowner. There are so many things to learn and explore, and it can be a bit daunting at first. To understand, one of the essential systems in your home is your electrical system. Here are nine things every new homeowner should know about their electrical system!
- Your electrical system is designed to provide power to specific circuits in your home. Each circuit is responsible for powering a particular appliance or set of appliances. If you overload a circuit, it can cause a fire. Make sure you only plug appliances into the outlets that are designated for them. Hiring professional Fort Worth Electricians will ensure that your electrical system is set up correctly and can provide enough power to each circuit. Some electricians ask people if they want their electrical system tested before installing new appliances to make sure it isn’t overloaded already.
- Your electrical panel contains two types of breakers: those that protect the wiring in your home and those that protect your appliances. If an appliance breaker trips, it’s not because there’s something wrong with the appliance; it means there’s too much current running through it, and the breaker is protecting the wiring.
- FT Worth Electricians will turn off all power to your home before starting any electrical work. However, it’s up to you if you want them to re-engage that service when the job is done. You’ll probably have to contact your electric utility provider for that.
- If you plan on doing some remodeling work, later on, call an electrician in advance who can “tap into” the new box and pigtail the wire so there won’t be a need for future electricians to cut into your walls or ceilings again!
- If one light switch controls multiple lights, make sure it has enough amps for all of them. Ideally, each light should have its button, but that’s not possible in some cases.
- If you plan on adding more electrical sockets, switches, or light fixtures, please measure your electric box first and know how many amps it can support. This is important because the amperage of an electrical outlet is printed right on it! You can also call an electrician to look at it for you before you go to all of the trouble of installing something new.
- If your electrical service panel has “knock out” plugs, don’t use them… ever! Knock-out plugs are designed so electricians can quickly get access to wiring without breaking into your electrical box. Still, many people think they are meant for everyday household items like lamps or picture lights. Please don’t do this. If you need to add something electric, hire an electrician to add a new outlet for you.
Do NOT add any electrical devices such as fountains or waterfalls if your electric service box has to knock out plugs in place.
8 . When choosing appliances, always opt for the most amps and highest wattage rating (how quickly it will use electricity). They can almost always be found on the back of the dishwasher, washer, dryer, and all stand-alone electric stoves/ ovens. Again, if in doubt, call an electrician.
- You should never turn off your main breaker when working on lights or electrical outlets because it’s not safe to assume you know which breaker controls a particular outlet. ALWAYS turn off the individual breaker that controls the electric device or light being worked on.
Ensure that any electrician you hire is licensed and insured for this type of work before letting them in your home with electrical tools. Ask to see their license, insurance coverage certificate, and business card with contact information before agreeing to have them do any work in your home.
We hope these tips helped you understand the electrical system in your new home.
