The new school year is in full-swing, which means your schedule is about to be totally packed with all sorts of activities. Between the numerous football and volleyball games, fine arts events, and various other school-related events ahead this fall, your time at home will be both precious and a rarity. Depending on how often you’re out cheering your favorite student on, your home could become the perfect spot for a burglar.

Last week, we gave you some really important tips on protecting your home from an invasion when you’re away on vacation. This week, we’re going a step further to help you protect your home while you’re still in town, but maybe just out and about until the late hours of the night. Even if you’re not concerned about a break-in, perhaps you just want peace of mind your babysitters, housekeepers, repairmen are doing their job. You can even check to see if your kids are doing their homework or chores.

Smart security cameras are an excellent way to safeguard your home and family when you’re away, even if it’s just a few miles down the road. Equipped with WiFi capabilities, you have the ability to peek in on what’s happening using the app paired with your system.

Surely you have seen electrical outlets your entire life… but do you know how they work? Their purpose is so important, it can actually save your life. If you read our article last week, you will understand how the electricity has already arrived at the outlet. Grounded electrical outlets then take the energy from your home electrical system and make it available. Here is more about what they are and how they work.

In Canada we have the three-prong outlet that you are familiar with. The outlet’s left hole is smaller and it is the “neutral” slot. The right hole is slightly larger and this is called “hot”. The bottom hole is the “ground”. The electricity flows in a loop, traveling from hot to neutral. This means when you plug your television in the electricity will flow from the hot slot of the outlet, into your television to power it, and then out to the neutral slot.

You have probably noticed that some appliances have only two prong plugs and some have three. This is because some appliances need to be grounded. Electricity always flows towards the ground, and when the electricity flows into your body and into the ground, you experience electrocution. Instead of a body potentially absorbing this current, the grounder redirects the electrical current traveling into the outlet so you will not be hurt. Items that have metal casings, such as televisions and computers, will have their metal cases attached to the grounder so that a current will not accidentally run throughout the case and shock you when you touch it.

When electricity becomes unbalanced in the electrical outlet, the outlet will “trip” and shut off the flow of electricity. For example, if an electronic device comes into contact with water, electricity will escape into the water. Once the outlet detects that less electricity is coming into the neutral slot than what should be, it will shut down. This safeguard protects users from potential harm.

By playing or tampering with an electrical outlet, you can get hurt or severely injured. It is important to use the appropriate equipment and follow manuals before plugging in electrical devices. If you need to make changes to your electrical system you should consult a professional first.

What’s more important than reliable access to electricity? Safe and reliable access to electricity! We use tools and appliances every day. Heck every hour. And in some instances, every minute. But generally speaking, we don’t really pay much mind to how safe we’re being with it. But you should. Accidents happen all the time (and if you like statistics, boy we’ve got ‘em right here!), and whether you think it could happen to you or not, the fact of the matter is we put ourselves at risk all the time.

This is why it is outright critical that we ensure we’re taking all of the steps we can to protect ourselves, our homes, and our loved ones. Luckily, safety isn’t all that hard, and really takes a minimal time investment. Here at Kolb Electric, your safety is the top priority to our Alexandria electricians. So take a moment to read up! You might learn something new.

Regarding Electrical Supply

First off, to use any appliance safely, you should always keep in mind the right places to use them relative to your home’s safe supply. We’re talking, of course, about dedicated circuits. We’ve spoken of them many times, but it’s important because ensuring the proper appliances get the proper setup is key to operating them safely. Appliances that should be on dedicated circuits include:

Also, if your appliance is going to be near water sources (kitchen/bathroom appliances), be sure they are plugged into a GFCI outlet. Don’t have GFCI outlets? Looks like it’s time for some installation!

Using Power Strips for Your Appliances

Don’t “daisy-chain”, be sure you’re using indoor for indoor, outdoor for outdoor, never cover your cords (generates dangerous heat), and don’t exceed the safe capacity. Also never use power strips or extension cords to power heaters or other high-wattage appliances. They weren’t designed to handle that much power, and they may overheat/catch on fire.

General Appliance Safety Tips from Our Alexandria Electricians

Rules of thumb that promote safety are a great idea, and our Alexandria electricians are here to give you the rundown!

Need the services of a certified electrician to beef up your home safety? From outlet installation to wire repair, our experts have you covered! Contact Kolb to learn about our services, or to set your appointment today!