Electrician Safety Tips Without A Lot Of Don’ts | Myrtle Beach, SC

10/9/2020

Photo By Aksana Kavaleuskaya at istock

Ways to Keep Your Family and Property Safer Without Negativity

You’ve probably heard a lot of solid tips over the years about electrical safety that begin with “don’t.” At Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach, SC, we’ve got another perspective that could be helpful. Most home electrical safety precautions have an easy solution: call your electrician to make it right.

The Octopus Dilemma — Extension Cords Everywhere

The overuse of extension cords and power strips is a growing problem these days because there are so many “wall wart” adapters in use to charge phones, run smart speakers, even run table lamps. Our electricians have a solution.

Overdrawn

Traditionally, the big concern with extension cords has been adding too many loads to one circuit, since it can be hard to keep track of what’s actually plugged in. There may not be AC adapters in every socket — there could be space heaters, microwaves, and blow dryers too, drawing way too much current in total, even if the circuit breaker doesn’t trip the wire may not support the current.

Defeating Childproof Outlets

Modern outlets in Myrtle Beach, SC, and across the country have a special feature to prevent electrocution of children. They require pressure from two plug blades before they open so that a knife or screwdriver won’t penetrate. Adding an extension cord bypasses this important protection, and often leaves exposed open outlet spaces ready to endanger children, receive spills, and otherwise expose an open outlet where there shouldn’t be one.

Roomba Runs Over: Wear and Tear on Extension Cords

Running here and there across the floor, getting rolled and vacuumed over, twisted and pulled, extension cords can easily pull apart or get frayed and expose wires, resulting in cord overheating and shorting, or electric shocks.

The Octopus Solution!

Modern homes have an amazing number of outlets, required by electrical code. There should usually be an outlet within six feet of any location in a room. Our electricians can update your home to provide additional outlets and run new power circuits so that your microwave and blow dryer don’t have to be used one at a time. New outlets can include four-outlet combos, USB power as well as traditional AC, and of course smart outlets that can be controlled by your smart home control system to turn lights and coffee makers on and off by timer.

Power and Water Don’t Mix

The old-school concern was that power outdoors, near your pool, and in your kitchen and bathroom posed a major safety hazard. That’s still true, but these days outlets in areas like those should have GFCI protection to minimize the risk. Our electricians can install these special outlets, and make sure that you’re protected by these sentinels that watch for signs of a power leak that could be caused by water. They can save lives, and are very convenient to install and use.

Outdoor Power Safety

GFCI outlets are a must outside, protecting you against electrical hazards like worn cords and malfunctioning power tools while you’re working in your yard or pool area. Our professionals also provide conduit and weatherproof outlet boxes which ensure that your outdoor power is safe from stormy weather and protected against accidental digging, tree limbs, or other hazards near the wires. If your older home has DIY outdoor wiring without protection, let us come and upgrade it. Your home will look better with our clean installation as well.

Big Power Tools on a Standard Circuit

If you have a home workshop or some power tools in the garage, you’ve probably had trouble with high-powered motors that dim the lights when they start, or even have trouble starting at all. This can be especially true if you’re running them in the garage, which may have a low-current circuit run some distance from the main breaker box. Let our electricians help you design a better workshop, including convenient 220-volt circuits that supply the power you need for large saws, welding equipment, and air compressors.

Lighting Heat Dangers

Do you remember those “Easy Bake Ovens?” They used the heat from an ordinary light bulb to bake cakes. That heat is the reason that there were a lot of restrictions about how lights could be installed, especially with the base above the bulb. With the popularity of compact fluorescents and LED bulbs, there are a lot more ways to install lights since heat is not a major factor. You can create beautiful recessed lighting to indirectly light your decor, and place lights under shelves and in other places to accent your room without concerns about excessive heat.

Our electricians can help you match dimmer switches to compact fluorescents which is sometimes a tricky task, and install smart light switches and bulbs for whole-house control from your smartphone. No more trips downstairs to check the lights at bedtime! If your mobility is limited, this can be a big improvement. Let us show you.

Unplug Devices Before a Storm

While nothing can completely protect against the awesome power of lightning, our electricians can install a whole-house lightning arrestor. It provides protection from your utility entrance to every point in your home. If there are storms nearby, you’ve got protection by default, ready to divert spikes of energy before they reach your home’s sensitive electronics.

Buy Loads of Surge Protectors for Your Electronics

Lightning isn’t the only risk for sensitive electrical equipment in your home. You probably have a few power strips with surge protection built in to protect your computer and home theater equipment. This protection is also available on a whole-house basis, preventing surges from power problems down the street from damaging equipment in your house.

Your Safety-Oriented Professional Electrician 

Mister Sparky of Myrtle Beach focuses on protecting your family and property with safe electrical service. Our electricians love to find ways to improve your lifestyle with electrical power and modern features. Call us for emergencies, advice, repairs, and special projects at 843-894-0901.