In many of our past electrical safety articles we have talked about electrical fires. The reason we warn homeowners so frequently about the threat of an electrical fire is because of the danger it poses to your home and your family’s lives. Electrical fires can result from poorly managed electrical wires or equipment and result in huge damages and health hazards. It’s important that you have taken the necessary steps to avoid this.

Electrical fires are fires that start as a result of electrical wires that are hot, overloaded, or sparking. Electrical wires run throughout your home, next to hundreds of feet of wood. If a circuit is overloaded or damaged it can become extremely hot and product a spark. If your circuit breaker does not detect this and fails to shut it off quickly the wires can heat up the surrounding wood structure and start a fire. The biggest problem with these types of fires is their location. The fire has now started behind the wall, out of sight. By the time the smoke is visible through outlets or vents, significant damage can already be done. By the time you notice the fire, call the fire department and they arrive to extinguish the fire, there will already by substantial damage to your home. This situation can be even worse at night while you and your family is sleeping. The fire can creep up on you and spread behind the walls before you notice. You may even find yourself in your home and unable to prevent the fire from overtaking the entire structure.

Some common causes of electrical fires are:

To prevent electrical fires ensure that your electrical circuit panel is properly organized and up to date. If your electrical panel is old and not properly organized, it will not detect overloads and do its job of protecting your home. We recommend having your home inspected every 10 years. Some problems you will not be able to identify on your own. Our electricians will be able to identify areas that need to be upgraded and brought up to code. There are some precautions that you can take on your own. Check on your appliances, electrical equipment, and extension cords to ensure they are not frayed or have exposed wiring. If you notice that one of your electrical devices is very old, it may be time to repair it. If you are not sure contact your local Expert Electric.

To schedule a home inspection or receive more information about keeping your home safe from electrical fires, contact Expert Electric at 604-681-8338. We are your neighbourhood’s electricians committed to keeping you safe.

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Given just how much we depend on electricity nowadays, it’s normal to look for a quick solution for your home electrical repair needs. As fast as doing it yourself might seem, calling in an electrician will always be the best course of action. Everyone wants to save money, but hiring a professional for home electrical repair isn’t an expense you should try to avoid.

Basic knowledge and skills might be enough for various other types of repairs, but when it comes to electrical work, it just isn’t enough. Aside from the obvious dangers involved, you could cause the kind of damage that defeats the purpose of trying to cut costs in the first place.

A licensed electrician can diagnose your problem quickly. Beyond that, an experienced professional will resolve your problem in a way that will ensure it doesn’t come back. Unfortunately, even if you or your friends are good with tools, you can’t make that same promise. Trying to fix the problem yourself can make it worse, and when you finally call an expert in the price tag will be much harder to stomach.

The job could also become much lengthier, along with additional hours of frustration as the electrician corrects your mistakes in addition to the original problem. When it comes to electrical work, it takes only the smallest error to cause a big issue. Even an incorrectly placed wire could cause extensive — and expensive — damages. These issues could endanger your safety and prolong the duration of the repair job.

Experts will also have equipment in their arsenal that allows them to complete the job faster and more effectively than any amateur. As such, trying to save time by attempting repairs yourself is only going to achieve the opposite.

Even if you’re skilled enough to address what appears to be the issue plaguing your electrical system, you might still be doing more harm than good. Sometimes performing a minor repair, even one that seems to resolve the problem, only covers up a much more serious underlying issue. This can lead to a much bigger headache down the line, as the hidden problem will only worsen as you mistakenly believe everything is okay. Long-term issues like these become a time-consuming hassle to get repaired. Not only that, but they can also be extremely expensive if allowed to persist for too long.

You can avoid all that if a professional handles the home electrical repair in the first place. An expert electrician will catch the warning signs, even the subtle ones, and pinpoint the real issues at work. Sometimes, in spite of how you may feel, a quick fix is actually the last thing you need. Getting the problem repaired the right way so it won’t come back is much more important than reaching a speedy resolution.

Also, experienced professionals will not focus only on the home electrical repair that seems necessary. Instead, they assess the full picture when they work, which includes looking into the condition of your entire electrical system. This, apart from allowing for a more thorough and effective repair, can help them identify future problem areas. The earlier a pro spots the issue, the more easily it gets resolved.

Performing your own home electrical repair is an extremely risky move. This isn’t just because of the extra expenses associated with mistakes, or because you’d only make the problem worse. No, the most important reason you shouldn’t try to perform your own electrical repairs is safety!

Doing it yourself can be a fun, satisfying experience, but if you don’t know what you are doing and you are dealing with potentially dangerous things, like electricity, it is best to leave it to the professionals. There are far too many things that can go wrong when you try and fix something that has anything to do with your home’s electrical. It is best to call an experienced electrician like those at The Electric Connection.

Taking care of odd jobs around the house is normal. It is a part of home ownership. However, what many people fail to realize is that some jobs are way more complicated than they believed in the beginning. In fact, those jobs are not only more complicated, they may actually be hazardous to anybody who isn’t trained.

The following reasons are why you should always leave any electrical repair work to a certified electrician.

*You could be putting yourself at risk of electric shock that can be fatal. Fooling around with the wiring in your home is dangerous. One wrong move can have serious consequences. *Property damage in general is another very real possibility. You may not burn your house down, but you could cause damage that has to be repaired by a professional.

The next time you need a little work done around the house, think twice about grabbing your toolbox. If you need any kind of electrical repair work done, give The Electric Connection a call and leave it in their very capable hands.

— Electric Connection (@LAElectricianCA) December 14, 2015

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