It's that time of year again - birds are chirping and flowers are blooming, spring is finally here! While you take care of your spring cleaning, be sure to fit in a seasonal electrical safety check on your home.
Testing Your Smoke Detectors
One of the easiest safety devices in our homes to forget about are our smoke detectors. Unless they're beeping, we may forget to look up! Make sure to test your smoke alarms in your homes once a month. It shouldn't take more than 5 minutes to do so, and knowing that your detectors are reliable can allow you and your family to sleep easier at night!
Press the test button on your alarm and after a second it should make a loud noise. A good tip is to have someone walk around the home to make sure they can hear the alarm in every room too!
Surge Protectors
With storm season here, that means it is important than ever to get surge protectors around the house. An electrical surge can damage your home during a spring storm, and surge protectors are key for protecting your home's electronic devices.
These aren't the same as power strips, they help divert the voltage to protect electronic devices. Power surges can be triggered from overloaded circuits and bad wiring or lightning strikes. These can shorten the lifespan and destroy your electronics, so get prepared for storm season today!
Outdoor Lighting
As you dust off your lawn mower and remove the grill cover, check on your outdoor lighting outlets, sockets, and cords. It is vital to check on the conditions of your outdoor outlets and their coverings to make sure they close properly. Spring and summer is the best time of year to have your outdoor lighting working, so don't wait until the last minute to realize it isn't working!
Air Conditioning Vents
Warm spring air comes with it's own faults, so it is crucial to look at your air conditioning vents to make sure they are working properly. Check them for dust, dirt, pollen, and other contaminants. If there are any of those in your vents, please be sure to clean them. It is important to have them clear of obstructions blocking the air conditioning vents so your HVAC system can work its best as things heat up!
Check your Wiring and Outlets
One of the most important tasks we can all remember this season is to check all wiring and outlets in your home. If there is any fraying or discoloration, it is time to get them switched out. If you have any older outlets, it is another thing that should be replaced with a newer outlet, such as three-pronged outlets or GCFI units that can shut off automatically when there is a fault detected. Once these are all replaced, an electrical technician will perform an inspection and fix any other issues within the wiring and outlets.
While you are preparing for spring and cleaning up your winter accessories, let us take care of your electrical maintenance checklist! Give us a call at 770-735-1136!