Electrical Hazards to Watch for in a New Home | Teems Electric

According to Move.org, more than 35.5 million people living in the United States move every year. If you’re making a move in the near future, we have one item to add to your to-do list—an electrical system inspection.

When you’re moving into a new home, the last thing you want is to expose your family to electrical hazards. That’s why our team at Teems Electric recommends this vital inspection and wants to share some insight about potential hazards.

Checking Electrical Outlets

Believe it or not, the average home in the United States utilizes approximately 4,500 kWh each year. This translates to there being a lot of electrical devices being plugged in and used every day, which means it’s vitally important for all outlets and switches to be checked before you move in.

First, you want to make sure that all outlets are three-pronged and make certain that all switches have plate covers. If you have young children in your home, you might want to also go ahead and buy outlet plugs to baby-proof your home before you move in.

If there are any loose outlets or switches found in your new home, you will want to make sure these outlets and switches are fixed, as they pose electrocution and fire risks to your loved ones and home.

If you notice that there don’t seem to be outlets in the places you expect to need power, you may want to consider taking time ahead of move-in to have a few new, strategic ones installed.

Examining the Lights

You will not be living in darkness. Therefore, you will also want to make sure all light fixtures inside your new home, as well as any ceiling fans, are working properly and installed safely inside your home.

When checking the light fixture, make sure that it is not installed with a light bulb that’s a higher power (or greater wattage) than the light fixture was meant to handle. This could cause the lighting fixture to overheat and could ignite a fire if a combustable material (like a paper lamp shade) is nearby.

An electrician can also double-check that all lighting fixtures are wired appropriately and are not presenting a fire hazard.

Could your home or office benefit from an electrical inspection? Give the team at Teems Electric a call today!