Simple Tips to Help You Avoid Short-Circuiting in the Home
One of the biggest challenges that homeowners face when dealing with electrical appliances is protecting them from electrical damage. One of the most common causes of damage to electrical equipment is short-circuiting. A short circuit happens when an electrical current completes its journey using a shorter route than the one established by the wiring. The electrical current usually seeks grounding, which means that it will flow through the set circuit, go back to the service panel, and then proceed onto the appliances. When there is a problem with the wiring, some of the current leaks and may cause an electric shock and other damages if you come into contact with it. Here are a few simple tips that can help you avoid short-circuiting in the home.
Proper Wire Insulation
One of the most common reasons why short-circuiting happens is when the electrical wires are not properly insulated. In this case, the live wire may come into contact with the neutral, leading to the characteristic sparking, which indicates a short circuit is taking place. Insulation may also deteriorate with time as a result of nail punctures to the electrical wiring, pests gnawing on the wires and other causes of damage. Any naked wires should be replaced with properly insulated wires to prevent short-circuiting.
Proper Appliance Wiring
A good percentage of the short-circuiting which happens results from faulty appliance wiring. When an appliance is plugged into a socket, its wiring becomes part of the electrical circuit. If the wiring on the appliance is wrongly done, the current will leak, creating a short circuit. Note that even properly wired appliances can develop short-circuiting problems over time. It is advisable to have all faulty appliances repaired when you start suspecting that they are the cause of short-circuits.
Tight Wire Connections
Another common reason why short-circuits occur is the presence of loose wire connections. Most home wiring includes units with a live wire, a neutral and a ground wire. If the wires are loose, the live wire will likely touch the neutral, creating a short circuit. Instead of trying to tighten loose wire connections, you should let experts handle the work.
Those are the three most common ways to avoid short circuits in the home. Short circuits lead to sparking, can cause electrical shock or create home fires. It is, therefore, important to have an electrical repairs contractor inspect your entire home and fix the parts which could lose or exposed. Regular inspections will save your appliances from fires and damage and protect you from electrical shock.
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