4 Of The Most Common Electrical Questions

How Do I know If I have An Outdated Electrical System? The age of your home is a good indicator. If your home is more than 40 years old, it might have an outdated system. Another way to tell is to look at the wiring. Homes built before the 1950s often have a type of wiring called "knob and tube." That's when you see wires running through porcelain tubes stuck in holes in the joists. That old wiring could cause a fire.

How Do I Know If My Electrical Panel Is Safe? One easy sign to look for is if it has a fuse box instead of a circuit breaker. Fuse boxes aren't as safe as breakers because there's a higher chance of overheating. Another sign is a panel that's overcrowded with circuit breakers. This can also cause overheating and pose a fire risk. If you see either of these signs, it's essential to have a electrician inspect your panel.

How Do I Know If I Have Enough Outlets? A good rule of thumb is to have at least one power outlet for every 12 feet of wall space in your home. If you find yourself using extension cords or power strips all the time, you may not have enough outlets. Overusing extension cords and power strips can be a huge fire hazard. The good news is that any skilled electrician should be able to help you install enough for your needs.

What Do I Do If My Circuit Breaker Trips All The Time? First, you should try to identify which circuit is tripping. You can do that by turning off each one and then turning them back on one at a time until the breaker trips. Once you've found it, you can figure out what's causing too much current. Then you can move appliances around to use less power on that circuit. If you can't find the cause, you can call an electrician for an inspection.