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In this blog post, we’ll show you some of the more common electrical problems and how to avoid them.
Winter brings not only colder temperatures but potential problems with the electrics. Just like humans suffer in the cold, the electrics suffer also. It’s tempting to wait until an electrical component breaks to do a maintenance check.
But, maintaining your electrics throughout the year saves you money on large repairs. There are several common winter electrical problems a Vancouver electrician can help you avoid. Here’s what to look out for.
As the temperature drops, the electrical panel gets put through its paces. Heating systems and portable heaters are going to be overloaded, making breaker trips a more common occurrence.
How to avoid problems: Increase the electrical power to your home’s circuit. This helps to accommodate the extra appliances in use. Hire an electrician to avoid tripping the circuit breakers when more power is in use.
Winter weather is often extreme seeing high winds, snow storms, downed power lines and below freezing temperatures. This is a huge strain on your electrical grid, often causing power outages for hours or even days. In winter, power outages can be detrimental, leaving you without hot water, heat or lighting.
How to avoid problems: Check your homes energy efficiency and prepare the generator by inspecting its condition. If any faults are found, call in a Vancouver electrician before winter comes around.
Modern homes equipped with old and outdated equipment often see problems in the winter months. New electrics can be incompatible with old systems and may become a fire hazard if left unchecked.
How to avoid problems: Check older appliances and equipment regularly, especially in the winter months when they’ll be used more. Think about replacing heating appliances that are over 5 years old.
Space heaters often get used in the winter months. Some older models are not energy efficient, use large amounts of electricity and have been known to cause house fires.
How to avoid problems: Avoid using extension cords and plug your space heater directly into the wall. Aim to keep the heater away from combustible objects such as furniture or curtains.
Preparation is better than cure. As winter comes around, follow this checklist to get your electrics ready for the freezing months.
Get into a routine of following the winter electrics checklist above. This helps to spot potential hazards before they become a problem. And the more you do it, the increased ability you’ll gain to spot faults.
If your home is older, hire an electrician to check your electrics every year. A trained professional has the tools and knowledge to pinpoint problems the average person may miss.