Your home has been your safe space from the dangers of the outside world; this is where you feel most secured from physical harms. But this is not the case if you let your electrical connection bring hazards not only for you but for your family as well.

However, your house is not the only potential target of electrical hazards. Your streets where poles stand and even your power suppliers are at risk because of external reasons. 

Electrical hazards are the potential risk you may experience due to wiring problems and unawareness of electrical safety measures. Exposure to electric current may result in electric shocks, burns, and worst heart attack. So it is essential to know how to prevent them. 

Common Electrical Hazards and their Corresponding Prevention

Faulty wiring

When your electric wires are loose, cracked, or frayed, it cannot serve its purpose anymore as a conductor of electricity; this eventually causes a fire. You cannot always see your wiring so take note of the signs of faulty wiring, these are when:   

  • Circuit breaker trips often.
  • Lights flicker or dim.
  • Outlets are warm or have burn marks.
  • There are buzzing sounds and burning smells.

If you see or feel one of these signs, then repairs are necessary. Call an electrician to fix your wiring and update your connection if needed to avoid problems in the future. 

Water in power outlets and wires

Water is known as a great conductor of electricity. Plugging in an appliance or touching the outlets with water inside them will likely cause you to experience an electric shock.    

Avoid using electrical devices near water, especially in bathrooms. Contact an electrician to rewire and move your power outlets far from water sources. In case water gets to an outlet, turn off your power source and let it dry out. 

Overloading

Overloading occurs when you plug your appliances, and they exceed the circuit’s electric load capacity. Your circuit breaker can protect your electrical connection. But if overloading happens often, then it would fail eventually and may lead to a fire accident. 

Avoid using your appliances all at once. Have a separate circuit for devices that need a high power supply such as your refrigerators and electric stove.  

Lightning

Lightning causes a power surge which happens when there is a sudden change in electric current in a system. When lightning strikes, it disturbs the flow of electricity in transmission lines. At the same time, it also causes to supply more voltage than the usual amount, which affects your devices because they receive more than the expected voltage. Damages in appliances may cause fire incidents eventually. 

You cannot prevent lightning, but you can avoid power surges by unplugging your devices when lightning occurs. You can also install surge protectors, which is a safety measuring tool for devices. It makes sure your appliances receive the required voltage they need even during a power surge. 

Explosion of transformer

Transformers regulate the amount of voltage in transmission lines. It deals with extreme power, so if a component fails to work, then it can damage the transformer itself; this leads to an explosion, risking the lives of people living near them.  

Electricians should check them from time to time because their maintenance is vital to avoid corrosion.

Falling poles

Utility poles carry wires for electricity transmission. Sometimes, they fall because of a storm or a car accident. Residents are at risk whenever they fall to a dangerous location since they carry a high amount of voltage. 

Lessen the hazards and avoid vehicles hitting utility poles through installing a private one inside your property.

Conclusion

Electric hazards can happen inside and outside your home. They can be from external reasons such as lightning and falling poles, or internal reasons such as faulty wiring and overloading. You should always follow precautionary measures to prevent accidents and injuries caused by these common electrical hazards.

Here at Gordon Powers, we guarantee your safety by checking your faulty wiring. We can also install electrical equipment and devices that can protect you and your family from the electrical hazards. Don’t hesitate to ask for help late at night as we are available 24/7! In the case of electrical emergencies, you can call us at (02) 9199 7480 or book a job now.