Safety in Your Home Starts with Electricity

Smart homeowners are aware of hazards in their homes and have annual safety inspections of their home’s electrical systems.  It doesn’t matter if the home is 3 or 60 years old. An Anthony PHCE electrical safety inspection is a must-do!

Let’s go through the basic steps of a safety inspection. It starts outside with the incoming power to the home. A common finding is that the soil around the foundation has shrunk and pulled the conduit out of the meter box.

This typically sealed opening can allow moisture to enter the electrical panel inside the home, and electricity and water do not go together.

Other common findings outside the home are:

• Tree branches near the incoming wire
• Insufficient grounding
• Receptacles that are not GFCI (ground fault circuit interruption)
• Exterior lights that do not have voltage
• Meters not secured to the house

Inside the home, the main breaker panel and the connecting wiring circuits are all critical for safety. Many items are checked here to ensure the system meets current electrical codes.

A trained electrician from Anthony PHCE will remove the metal panel cover and educate the homeowner about the system.

Common hazards are incorrect breaker sizes, aluminum wiring, more than one neutral wire per screw, charring or burned marks, and evidence of missing moisture and clamps.

The next major item is inspecting and testing the electrical circuits throughout the home. Often a homeowner “lives with issues” but is unaware of the danger from these issues. These include arcing in receptacles or switches, “dead” switches, and warm-to-touch switches.

Also, extension cords can often be an unknown hazard. Extension cords are designed for temporary power but not permanent usage.

Common issues we find with the use of extension cords include:

• Overloaded (the wattage of the items connected to the cord is greater than the capacity that the cord is rated)
• Installation near water
• Not grounded cords
• Not polarized cords
• Two cords plugged together
• Cracked or missing insulation on the part of the cord

An electrical safety inspection would not be complete without thoroughly checking smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. This includes proper placement, fresh batteries, and the age of the detectors.

Most detectors are designed to last ten years. They may still test with an audible chirp after ten years, but that does not mean the sensor is not weak.

There are 62 items on an Anthony PHCE Electrical Safety Evaluation form. Performing a thorough safety inspection takes time.

However, it is inexpensive because the annual safety inspection is included for every A.S.A.P. (Anthony Service Agreement Program) customer!  So, for safety and peace of mind, call today.