Operating Your Electrical System Safely this Summer

It’s not like you went the Winter without electricity, in fact you probably had a very heavy reliance on your power operating lights during the shorter days and making sure your furnace was operating. That being said, your air-conditioner is the biggest drain on your electrical system and it’s almost time to fire up the unit. Nesting rodents, corrosive cold weather, and other signs of Winter may have harmed your electrical system over the past few months so follow these tips on getting the components ready for the Spring and Summer season and using them safely.

Create Storage for Your Electrical Cords

The warm weather is the time for swimming, washing cars, and cutting the lawn, all of which can be detrimental to outdoor electrical cords. Get in the practice of unplugging your cords when not in use and storing them securely in down time.

Be Careful With Digging

Whether you’re planting a garden, digging footings for a deck, or boring out a whole for a basketball hoop know where your underground power utilities are running.

Inspect Electrical Wiring

Wire housing on your electrical components are like filet mignon to rodents who chew off the rubber and use it for their nests. If they haven’t already gotten zapped, make sure you don’t by performing a careful inspection of your A/C wiring and power tools which have been on the bench for the Winter. Better yet, schedule a professional inspection and testing to make sure your system is up to par.

Trim Your Foliage

Trees can sprout up in the Spring, creating a meeting point with power lines that have also drooped during the Winter. Keep your trees trimmed before they reach that point. Also, make sure shrubs and bushes aren’t blocking the air flow of your outdoor air-conditioner compressor housing.

Have Your Swimming Pool Inspected

The Winter is very unpredictable and so is its effects on your dormant components such as a swimming pool. All sorts of issues can arise from exposure to the frigid elements no matter how winterized your pool may have been. Schedule an electrical inspection just to be 100% certain that pool lights are in good working orders and components such as pumps are properly grounded.

Finally just use caution when doing work outside whether it’s using a ladder to clean out gutters (power lines) or using an electrical trimmer to maintain weeds (risk of shock). Call us if you’re not comfortable inspecting your electrical system or have questions about specific issues. Together we can make this another fun-filled Summer like we’ve all become accustomed to.