Understand Your House’s Electrical System

Just because they don’t teach it in school doesn’t mean your electrical system isn’t important. A working knowledge of how electricity flows to your appliances, fixtures and devices could keep them more dependable and your home safer.

Every home has a breaker box through which all the home’s wiring runs. The circuit breakers prevent the wires from overheating. Each major appliance, like the HVAC system, electric water heater, stove and dryer, has its own breaker because they use a lot of power.

How many circuit breakers your home has depends on its size, the number of outlets and switches, and appliances inside it.

Most of the time the electrical system runs flawlessly, but when problems happen, they can be serious. Since it takes knowledge, skills and sometimes a license when dealing with electricity, it’s a good idea to consult a licensed electrician when:

• You’re remodeling or adding an appliance. It’s a lot safer to add more outlets to a home than overload them with power strips. When remodeling, you may need more switches and receptacles, or to supply a new appliance that needs its own circuit.
• You want to add whole-house surge protection. Florida leads the nation in lightning strikes, and surge protectors are an effective way to avoid damaging your appliances from both lightning strikes and power surges.
• You’re having problems with an outlet or appliance. If you notice that an outlet has black smudges, you should have it examined and replaced by a pro. An appliance that smells hot or emits a burning rubber or hot electrical odor needs to be checked.
• You’re buying a home. Most lenders require a thorough inspection of a home’s infrastructure, including the wiring, before they’ll fund a mortgage loan. New home purchases are generally exempt because they’ve had to pass rigorous inspections before the jurisdiction will issue an occupancy permit.

If you have any issues or questions about your electrical system, it’s good to follow them up by asking a professional. To learn more, contact Rinaldi’s Energy Solutions, providing HVAC services for Orlando-area homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

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