Our Hayward Electricians Want to Protect Your Home

Electrical fires cause over $100 million in home and commercial damages every year. Most of these fires are caused by failures in common electrical components and could have been avoided with monthly maintenance checks. Our Hayward electricians suggest that you check the following things at least once a month to help avoid a fire.

• Electrical cords are one of the biggest fire starters, especially in areas where they come into contact with carpet and upholstery. These cords should be replaced if and when they crack or fray or suffer damage from accidents or animals. Cords should remain out of high traffic areas where people could trip over them and yank the plug from a wall outlet causing damage to the plug prongs.
• Another common fire starter is a blown light bulb. Whenever you replace a bulb make sure it is the correct wattage for the socket. Using a bulb that uses a higher wattage can cause an unsafe heat build-up in the wires leading to the socket and cause it to short out.
• Circuit breakers and fuses need to be checked periodically. If a fuse of the wrong size is placed in a breaker it could cause a host of problems from allowing too much electricity to pass through to sensitive electronics to blowing prematurely and causing power outages. If you aren’t sure what size fuse belongs in a particular slot, call in a Hayward electrical contractor to label your box for you.
• One of the most important pieces of equipment that can be placed in a utility room, kitchen or bathroom is a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter). This device immediately shuts off the electrical supply if it detects water. This can prevent accidental shocks and electrocutions due to electrical devices coming in contact with water for any reason.