Homes built years ago, or were built recently, will have electrical systems that are inadequate for the electronics purchased by homeowners for entertainment and convenience. Many homeowners do not realize that the entertainment they may be providing is for the neighbors watching the firemen try to save you house form an electrical fire. At this point the convenience you thought you had turns into more work than you thought possible. The trudge is reported by the U. S. Fire Administration (USFA) which states that 280 people die in home fires and 1,000 more are injured. Additionally, Home electrical problems cause 26,100 fires and $1 billion in property losses, and much of this is paid for by the homeowner who doesn’t have adequate insurance.
Fire deaths are highest in winter months when there are more indoor activities and more lighting is required as well as heating. The USFA says the bedroom is the area of fire origin for residential building electrical fires. Perhaps the heat that builds up in the bedroom is a fire hazard, referring to the electric blankets of course. However, electrical fires that begin in the other areas of the home result in the most deaths.
A little known and leading cause of fires is light fixtures, lamps and light bulbs. Most homeowners would never guess the problem. Perhaps the worse condition that a homeowner can create is over use of extensions cords, and sometimes the use of one cord is overuse. There are homeowners that connect three 12 feet long cords together, and run then under a rug where they will get lots of wear on the rubber coating. Actually, extension cords should never be used. If an appliance begins to smoke, this is not normal, and the appliance should be discarded. Don’t wait for the smoke to dissipate.
It is always a good idea to have a House Electrician Houston come out and inspect your electrical system. Most homeowners have acquired far more electrical equipment than their supply panel can safely handle. A professional electrician can inspect the entire electrical system and identify any problem area. The homeowner may object to being told that they really do not need to be the sole support of the extension cord industry, but if they understand the problem with cords, they may be okay. Connection boxes that are buried behind walls are dangerous and the inspector will find these.
