Preventing Typical Winter Electrical Issues at Home – Part 1

The holiday season is just around the corner, beginning with Thanksgiving. Your house will soon have twinkling holiday lights, warm air blowing out of vents and space heaters, electrical blankets heating your bed, and lots of new electronic devices charging up after the holidays.

All of the above increases the demand for electricity in your home, and it also makes winter the most hazardous time for electrical fires according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI). This article will discuss three common electrical issues during the colder months and how to address them. 

1) Insufficient Power

When temperatures cool during the fall and winter, a home’s heating system begins turning on daily to maintain a comfortable environment and prevent pipes from freezing. Decorations in your home as well as portable heating units will put more stress on your electrical system. Two indicators that a circuit is overloaded may be flickering lights and a breaker frequently tripping. Below are a couple of options for dealing with overloading, which is an electrical fire hazard.

Review Power Usage

When major appliances like the washer and dryer are a decade or older, it may be time to replace them. Aside from the increasing frequency of repairs, older appliances use significantly more electricity than newer units. If you buy energy-efficient new appliances, the electrical burden will be lessened and decrease both the strain on your system and wallet.

Electrical System Upgrade

Another way to cope with greater power use is upgrading a home’s electrical system service or a “heavy up.” When a licensed electrician performs this upgrade, it will increase the amperage entering your home from the utility via the service panel. New homes typically have 200-amp panels, while many homes older than 20 years have less than a 100-amp service.

Part 2 will discuss Portable Heating Appliances and Electrical Fire Hazards.

Electrical Services You Can Trust

Founded in 1991 and serving Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., where we are licensed and insured, Meyer Electrical Services provides home and commercial electrical services you can trust, including:

• Standby Generator Installation
• Panel Upgrades (Heavy-Ups)
• Electrical Vehicle Charging Stations
• Structured Cabling
• Circuit Breaker Replacement

Based in Bethesda, our team proudly serves all of Montgomery County. Receive a free consultation for custom electrical work today by calling (301) 941-1400.