Electrical red flags

By Bill Streb Owner, Streb Electric

May is Electrical Safety Month, a good time to take pause and ask yourself how safe your home is. Since most of your electrical system is located behind your walls and outlets, sometimes you can’t see potential hazards.

Do you have lights that occasionally blink on or off? Is there an outlet that feels warm to the touch? These might be red flags for bad wiring.

Now that it’s springtime, we’re getting calls for things that go wrong with outdoor outlets. I tell people to make sure their outdoor outlets are GFI-protected against water hazard. That way if you accidentally cut a cord while cutting hedges, you’re protected.

Another red flag is extension cords. People tend to run them in dangerous places, like underneath carpeting, where they can produce heat and end up melting.

When we sprang forward with daylight savings last month, I hope everyone remembered to change the batteries in their smoke detectors. But did you also think about how old they are? If they are more than eight to 10 years old, they should be replaced, as dust and things like pet dander can get inside the unit over time.

The good news is that the new models on the market come with sealed batteries that last for 10 years.

Electricity is constantly working behind the scenes. It’s not a bad idea to have a home safety inspection for peace of mind. Our professionals extensively go over every area electricity exists in your home, including your basement, attic and crawl space, to make sure it’s functioning safely and effectively. We also make recommendations for how to save money and improve electrical efficiency.

Streb Electric is in Eastlake. Call 440-953-5819 or visit StrebElectric.com for more information.