Older houses have a charm and appeal for most homeowners. A hundred years ago, homes weren’t as modular as today’s building techniques but instead trim work, mantles and cabinetry were built according to the space available and the contractor’s ability. Antique carpentry can be a thing of beauty, but electric systems that aren’t up to date can be a nightmare.

Old Outlets

The first problem with older outlets is they don’t typically have the ground plug. Appliances at one time were independently grounded, whereas modern appliances are designed to rely on the external ground for safety. Adapters are available, but they’re really only intended as a quick fix, not long term usage.

Secondly, outlets in an antique house are likely well past their intended operating life. A worn out outlet can be frustrating at best if it only works intermittently, and can be a dangerous fire hazard at worst if it is overheating or causing a spark due to a loose connection. The good news is, outlets themselves are relatively simple and inexpensive to replace.

Your business operations are probably reliant upon electricity, like most operations in the modern world of today.  Do you have a backup plan in case the power goes out?  Most other businesses will simply shut their doors and deal with the consequences when the power is restored, but you can maintain business as usual thanks to the innovation of Dallas electrician to install an Indoor GeneratorTM for your business could be incredibly beneficial.  For certification or insurance reasons, you may have an even greater need to remain up and running.  Your valuable computer or medical equipment will thank you when you save them from the devastation of power surges and outages.

Consider these benefits of having backup power systems installed in your business:

In our previous blog, the professionals at Electrical Gurus gave out some ways tips for increasing the safety of holiday decorations throughout the holiday season. Today, we’ll share even more ways to safely and effectively decorate your home this holiday season.

Even if the lights are unplugged when you’re hanging them (which is advised), be sure to never use nails, screws, or tacks to hang your Christmas lights; instead, opt for clips for interior and exterior applications. This will keep your wires from accidentally becoming nicked or frayed during or after the hanging process, which can get dangerous quickly.

Never use extension cords that don’t feature ground or are not rated for outdoor usage outdoors to avoid electrocution risk. Furthermore, it is especially advisable to only plug lights into GFCI outlets, especially if they are plugged into the exterior of your home. These outlets will essentially shut themselves off in the event of a short, which is crucial to avoiding safety concerns.

Always use timers for decorations and lights to prevent yourself from forgetting to turn them on or off. Lights should never be left on when nobody is home, which is why it is advisable to turn them off during daytime hours when the family is out-and-about. Timers keep your home safe by preventing power from flowing through the lights during the day, automatically activating them in the evening hours.

Large decorations, cords, and lights should all be kept well away from tripping hazards. Of special note is extension cords, which should never be allowed to cross walkways without proper coverage. Ideally, extension cords shouldn’t be run along open space in any way. If someone trips over one decoration, then odds are all attached decorations are at risk for getting dislodged or damaged.

If your home has the proper circuit breakers, there is little risk of a fire starting from overloading an outlet; that doesn’t mean it is wise to plug in numerous strands of lights into a single outlet. Spread the burden of lights and decorations across numerous breakers whenever possible to avoid taxing your electrical panel too much in certain areas. If your home is not equipped with a circuit breaker and still uses outdated fuses, please give us a call right away to talk about upgrading your panel.

We hope you’re safe this holiday season, but if you happen to overload your circuit breakers or have a concern about the lighting of your holiday decorations, be sure to give us a call right away. The electricians at Electrical Gurus want to help to keep every Des Moines family happy and healthy throughout the holiday season.