Understanding Short Circuits | Teems Electric

Most people hear the term “short circuit” all their lives, but never really understand what it means for electricity’s path to be interrupted in that way. The truth is, it’s a dangerous situation that can be created pretty easily by accident, so it’s worth knowing what it is so you know how to avoid it.

Short circuits can occur in any electrical circuit, and are a common cause of house fires, electrocutions and property damage. From inside your walls to light fixtures to appliances, if it’s got power flowing to it, even if it’s only plugged in but not operating, there’s the possibility of a short circuit.

While that may seem scary, there typically is an action that causes the circuit to short, so once you understand the issue, you have a better chance of avoiding it.

What Is a Short Circuit?

First, we should understand something about electricity: To harness it, humans have to make it do something it doesn’t really want to do. Its natural tendency is to head for the ground because it carries a negative charge and the ground has a positive charge.

This is where we get the concept of “grounding” fixtures, appliances, and outlets. Anything that uses electricity creates a loop, or circuit, through which the power runs.

Because it wants to get to the ground, any break in the circuit, such as a frayed wire or object put into an outlet, essentially serves as an electricity leak that shortens and breaks the circuit. While the electricity may just spark out of the wires and dissipate in some cases, it most likely will seek an easy way to get to the ground, which often happens through building materials, nearby surfaces, other bare wires, and, in worst-case situations, humans.

Finding the ground through these mediums is an easier trip than continuing through the metal wires in the circuit and, much like water running or a teenager cleaning a room, electricity prefers the easiest route.

The Short Circuit Stoppers

Breaks in the flow of energy aren’t guaranteed to cause issues thanks to the way modern homes are wired. Since 1999, national codes require the use of arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCI), an advanced version of what is commonly called a circuit breaker.

These can detect problematic arcing of electricity in a circuit and will cut the power off to prevent damage or danger.

If you need electrical work done around the house, including installation of an AFCI panel, call Teems Electric today to get a free quote for the work.