Holiday Electrical Safety Tips

Families and friends gather for holiday celebrations. Holidays require a lot of preparation, whether you are hosting an event or going to someone’s house. To make sure that you have a great holiday, make electrical safety your top priority.

Electrical Safety Tips This Holiday Season

Always remember to turn off the holiday lights before you go to bed. This can be done with a timer. Don’t overload extension cords and outlets. Overloading electrical outlets can cause electrical shocks that can ignite fires. Make sure that both fresh-cut and artificial trees are kept away from heat sources like radiators, fireplaces, and registers. Also, water fresh-cut trees often. Your home might see more traffic during the holidays, including children and pets. You should ensure that all electric cords are not in high-traffic areas or pathways. Cords should not be run through doors or hidden under carpets or rugs. Children and pets should not be exposed to electrical decorations or light strands. Contact a Myrtle Beach electrician in case you notice anything strange with your electrical system.

The kitchen is often the busiest room in the house, as it is where holiday recipes are made and cooked. These are some helpful tips for working in the kitchen:

• Focus on baking, brewing, or simmering food.
• Make sure to keep cooking areas free of grease.
• Avoid leaving combustible objects, such as pot holders or towels, near the stovetop.
• Do not plug more than one high-wattage appliance into a single outlet.
• Check those outlets are located near sinks that have GFCI.
• Make sure you always have a working fire extinguisher and are familiar with how to use it.

Please drive safely if you’re traveling for the holidays. The vehicle is the best place to be if you are in an accident with a utility line. It doesn’t have to be sparking in order to be energized. All downed and low lines should be considered dangerous and energized. To notify the utility immediately, dial 911. If you need any kind of electrical services, don’t hesitate to contact MB Electrician Pros. We offer different electrical services for both residential and commercial buildings.

Call MB Electrician Pros if you need professional electrical services.

MB Electrician Pros
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-353-6345
https://electriciansmyrtlebeach.com/

Electrical Outlet Maintenance Tips

Home fires are commonly caused by defective electrical outlets. About 25,000 electrical fires every year could be attributed to a faulty electrical outlet, which causes more than $1 billion in property damages. When it comes to reducing your home’s risks of electrical fires, you need to conduct routine maintenance on electrical outlets. It prevents malfunctions that could lead to expensive repairs later on.

Listed below are five tips to help make sure that the often overlooked outlets in your house stay in good working condition.

Test Your Outlets Regularly

MB Electrician Pros recommend that you have a monthly schedule to test every electrical outlet in your home for safety. You can buy cheap outlet testers at any home hardware store. They have a three-prong plug, each equipped with indicator lights. When you plug the tester into every outlet, the lights will show any issues with the outlet in question. Knowing an electrical problem early significantly lowers the chances of a home fire or the development of a costlier and larger electrical issue in the future.

Replace Old Wiring

If you discover worn-out and damaged electrical wiring, you have to replace them right away. The process is simple and you can even change the wiring of the outlets on your own if you have the right tools and skills. In case you have a lot of outlets or more complex issues, a qualified electrical contractor can perform the work safely and more effectively for you.

Never Skimp On Parts

There are several instances where it is much better to buy cheaper product knock-offs, however, this does not apply to the replacement parts for your electrical outlets. Buy parts that are certified by an established and reputable safety certification institution such as Underwriters Laboratories. The extensive testing that replacement parts go through gives you an assurance that they are safe to use.

Never Fix Your Wiring

In case the problem with your wiring is much more serious than typical wear and tear, it is a must to hand over the project to a professional electrician. You must never try to fix your own wiring in case you don’t have the experience. Most home electrical fires have been attributed to incorrect installation and repair by amateurs. Therefore, it is much safer and more affordable to consult with a professional electrician.

Maintain All Electrical Outlets In Your Home

When conducting routine maintenance on your electrical outlets, never forget to check all those that are located outdoors, hidden in the attic, or in your basement. These are places that homeowners usually forget about. However, they can still cause a lot of damage. Make a list of your home’s electrical outlets and inspect them regularly for issues.

Monthly maintenance can assist you in preventing major electrical issues later on and maybe most importantly, electrical fires at home. Of course, call a professional electrical contractor in Myrtle Beach in case of actual danger.

Call MB Electrician Pros if you have any issues with your electrical outlet or your electrical system in general.

MB Electrician Pros
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-353-6345
https://electriciansmyrtlebeach.com/

Bathroom Electrical Safety Tips You Need To Know

Everybody knows that electricity and water create a dangerous combination. It can lead to mild electrical shocks or worse electrocution. The problem is that not all homeowners know the reason why, especially when it comes to bathroom electrical safety. The bathroom is one of the few places where this electricity and water coupling happens, especially when you think about the total water sources in that part of your house including the tub, shower, and faucets, which are installed amid electrical outlets and light fixtures. If you think that this one is in fact an understated way of saying that the bathroom is one of the most dangerous places in your house when considering electrical risks, we wouldn’t disagree. It is even riskier than your kitchen. So, you have to keep water and electricity far from each other in the bathroom, even if you have a ground fault circuit interrupter installed. If you don’t know where to start, call a Myrtle Beach electrician.

Electricity and Water Is A Dangerous Mix

A ground fault circuit interrupter is designed to cut the flow of electricity if there is water and that is why they should be installed in every bathroom. The main function of a GFCI is to sense and respond to danger, a function that keeps you and your family safe. But, you also need to remember that a GFCI is not infallible. They eventually wear out as time goes by and that is why electricians urge homeowners to have their GFCI tested every month. Just like smoke detectors, they need to be in tip-top condition to respond to any electrical emergency. Apart from that, it is not a good idea to be careless when it comes to water and electricity.

Electrical Safety Tips

Be wary of electrical outlets and switches that feel hot when you touch them. You should also be active about blown fuses and flickering lights. These could all be signs of wiring problems, which must be repaired immediately by licensed electricians.

You should also inspect the cords of appliances like blow dryers and curling irons as well as all those that are plugged in. The cords should have no cracks, or dings, or are frayed because they can all be a fire hazard. Always keep the appliances away from the sink because you will surely have a difficult time if you find yourself working on a tight counter space with only one outlet. In cases like this, you should think about calling a professional electrician who will install a new electrical outlet for you.

When you are done using electrical devices or appliances, don’t forget to switch them off. Turning them off but not unplugging them will still pose a risk of shock, especially when they come in contact with water.

Check your light choices. Even if you want to buy pendant lights, you need to know that they are not as safe and secure as enclosed ceiling lights for your bathrooms. In case you have hanging lights, be sure that they are far from the reach of anyone who is still wet from using the tub or shower.

Call MB Electrician Pros if you need help making sure that the electrical system in your bathroom is fully functional and safe.

MB Electrician Pros
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-353-6345
https://electriciansmyrtlebeach.com/

Things To Add On Your Electrical Inspection Checklist

Fall is here and it’s time to bring out that checklist once again to prep your home for another holiday entertaining. Other than cleaning, you should also focus on the electrical side of your home. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Electrical fires are quite common but you can make sure that it doesn’t happen in your home. Hire an electrician to perform a thorough electrical inspection and have that peace of mind knowing that you won’t have to deal with electrical issues around the holidays. Here are some things you should add to your electrical inspection checklist:

Pay attention to those extension cords

Let’s be honest. A lot of us use extension cords for various purposes. So much so that we even use them for extended durations and often to some extent that they aren’t designed for. As a general rule, never use extension cords for permanent or long-term applications. Keep them away from direct sunlight. Not all extension cords are made for heavy-duty outdoor applications. Also, make sure that no copper wires are exposed to prevent electrocution.

Get rid of those old, broken light bulbs

It’s about time that you put some effort into replacing those old, flickering light bulbs once and for all. Replacing them isn’t that hard at all. Most often, you just need to unscrew the light bulbs and install the new ones. Of course, you could make your life easier by hiring a Myrtle Beach electrician and letting them do all the work for you.

Upgrade to energy-saving appliances and electrical units

In this day and age, electrical appliances aren’t just about functionality. One of the selling points of most electrical devices nowadays is energy efficiency. You could argue that your appliances are still good. That’s a solid argument but how long can they hold up? And would you want to miss out on newer, more efficient appliances? Contact your local residential electrician for more tips on electrical upgrades.

Electrical wiring declutter

Are your electrical outlets all occupied? Are the wires still in order? If not, untangle the wires by first unplugging everything from the socket. Then do some cable management to organize everything. If you can’t seem to make everything work, hire an expert like Florence Electrician Pros to do the cable management for you.

Schedule an electrical inspection

The most important bit of your checklist is to schedule a professional electrical inspection. While you can do most of the other items on the checklist, an inspection must be done by a professional and reliable electrician. Bear in mind that it is the electrical safety of your entire home that’s at stake. You can’t afford to miss any potential electrical issues. Electrical fires are very common. One reason for this is the lack of a proper electrical inspection. Don’t make the same mistake that others did. Hire an electrician today to keep your home and family safe.

Are you looking for professional electrical services? MB Electrician Pros is here to serve you. You may reach us at 843-353-6345. Call before you start your holiday decorating.

MB Electrician Pros
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
843-353-6345
https://electriciansmyrtlebeach.com/