The utility company provides service cables to your home\u2019s electrical meter. These cables may be above or below ground. The cables extend the meter\u2019s base and deliver power service to the home. The meter itself measures the amount of your electricity usage so that the utility company knows what to charge you on your electric bills. The meter measures each instance when electricity is used in your home. As you already likely know, the more the meter registers electricity use, the higher your electric bill.<\/p>\n
Main Service Panelboard <\/strong><\/p>\n From the meter, the electrical service feeds will extend to your home\u2019s main service panelboard. Typically, people refer to this panelboard as the breaker box. Two large wires connect to screw terminals referred to as \u201clugs.\u201d These lugs are located in the breaker box and power the entire panelboard. There is also a neutral lug (the other two wires are \u2018hot\u2019 wires). Electricity travels through the hot wires to the breaker box and then through your home\u2019s electrical system. The electricity completes the circuit by returning to the box via the neutral wire.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Main Circuit Breaker<\/strong><\/p>\n Within your service panel is a large main breaker. This main circuit breaker is a switch that controls power to the rest of the circuit breakers in the panel. Its size depends on the electrical service capacity of the home. Standard panels, for instance, offer a 200-amp service. Older panels, however, may only offer 150 or even fewer amps.<\/p>\n Whatever the maximum amp service, the main circuit provider will allow. For instance, if the maximum amps are 200, the main breaker will allow that much electrical service. If electrical use exceeds 200 amps, the main circuit breaker will trip, cutting off power. No current flows to the panel when the main breaker trips.<\/p>\n Turning off the main breaker means that none of the other breakers in your panel will receive power. The result, of course, is no electricity for any of your home\u2019s circuits\u2013no power to the refrigerator, lamps, computer, television, etc. On the other hand, remember that electricity is still present in the service wires connecting to the lugs. Unless you shut off the power disconnect switch or your utility company shuts off the power, there will still be power\u2014just not at your circuits.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Disconnect Switch<\/strong><\/p>\n The disconnect switch is typically located on the home\u2019s wall near their electricity meter. You may need to turn off power in the event that you\u2019re having electrical work done on your home. Not all houses have a disconnect switch. If yours does not, the main circuit breaker serves as the system\u2019s disconnect switch.<\/p>\n Branch Circuit Breakers<\/strong><\/p>\n Your breaker box will include a series of breakers in addition to the main circuit breaker. Each breaker controls the flow of electricity to a branch circuit. For instance, one breaker might be associated with electricity to the laundry room, another to a section of the second floor, and still another to the kitchen. If electrical use exceeds the branch allowance of electricity, it will trip, cutting off electric flow to the branch circuit. For instance, running too many kitchen devices at once can cause the breaker to trip. It will need to be reset. Then, you\u2019ll have to reduce the number of devices you\u2019re using at once.<\/p>\n Most people don\u2019t think about their home\u2019s electrical system until something goes wrong. However, there are steps you can take to protect this essential system of your house. For instance, you should repair roof leaks. Roof leaks, often caused by storm damage, can wreak havoc on your home\u2019s electrical system and necessitate costly repairs. Other measures you can take to prevent electrical system damage include:<\/p>\n Your home\u2019s electrical system should not pose problems on a routine basis. If it does, that\u2019s cause for concern and should warrant an inspection from a professional electrician. However, like any system, your electric system may experience problems from time to time. We\u2019ll outline a few of the most common issues next:<\/p>\n Power Surge<\/strong><\/p>\n A power surge is a high-voltage surge of electricity that disrupts your normal electrical flow. It can lead to damage, especially to appliances plugged into outlets. A power surge can result because of problems with your system and when the power comes back on after being out because of a storm. If your home experiences frequent surges, be sure to contact your electrician right away.<\/p>\n Tripped Breaker<\/strong><\/p>\n Tripping a breaker is a common enough occurrence. As mentioned earlier, it happens most often when we use too much electricity in one area of the home, like the kitchen. To remedy this, you\u2019ll need to flip the tripped breaker back to its normal state. If the breaker continues to trip and for no apparent reason, you\u2019ll need an inspection. There is likely some problem with the circuit or even the breaker switch itself.<\/p>\n Ungrounded Outlets<\/strong><\/p>\n Your home\u2019s outlets should be grounded. That means that there is a place where excess electricity can go if there\u2019s a short circuit or some other wiring problem. Grounded outlets provide an additional safeguard against electrical fires. Without a ground, the excess electricity can travel into the wood or damage the appliance plugged into the outlet. An ungrounded outlet is also an electrocution risk for humans. If you have ungrounded outlets in your home, you should hire your electrical contractor to update them to include an equipment grounding conductor system.<\/p>\n Uncharacteristically High Electric Bills<\/strong><\/p>\n If you notice that your electric bill has increased, but you have not increased your power usage to warrant the spike, you may want your system inspected.<\/p>\n There may be an issue with your wiring. Electricity may be inadvertently traveling on unintended pathways resulting in higher usage of electricity. Also, your major appliances that are older and not energy efficient could be guzzling more power than you realize, and they can lead to higher utility bills.<\/p>\n Not Up to Code<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n If any aspect of your home\u2019s electrical system isn\u2019t up to the code that your house was built to, you should have it updated. You may not be aware of code problems; however, if you decide to sell your home, an inspector may point out where your electrical system is below code. If you have an older house, you should request your own electrician to provide an inspection. Electrical systems below code may have hazards that you\u2019ll want to eliminate.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Remember that electricity can be deadly. Don\u2019t work with it unless you\u2019re absolutely certain you know what needs to be done. If you have any doubts, contact your electrician. Avoid taking unnecessary risks where your electrical system is concerned. Electrical accidents even occur to highly trained electricians. Use this overview as a simple household guide. If you need any work performed that\u2019s more involved than flipping your tripped breaker back to the normal position, always consult with the pros.<\/p>\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2022-01-Herman-PH1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/a>PREVENTING DAMAGE TO YOUR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM<\/h2>\n
\n
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS?<\/h2>\n
<\/a>