Electrical safety is an important consideration in your home, especially when you have small children and pets running around. However, it’s also easy to become complacent about it and not check your electrical system as often as you should.

To keep yourself and your family safe, follow this checklist of 6 electrical safety checks that all homeowners should do every year. The results may surprise you!

Get Electrical Safety Certificate

Having an electrical safety certificate is one of the few simple ways to make sure that your home’s electrical system is safe.

It is possible for there to be problems with wiring and other features in a home’s electrical system without you noticing them. So, it’s important to take care of any issues before they escalate into a major problem.

Contacting a professional electrician will help identify any potential hazards while they are still small and easy to fix.

GFCI Testing

One of the most important checks is to make sure that all GFCI receptacles in the home are working correctly. To do this, use a GFCI tester. Insert it into the outlet and push down on the button to test whether or not it trips. If you have an older model without resetting buttons, leave the GFCI tester inserted for ten seconds and then pull it out to reset.

Visual Inspection of Exposed Wiring

Look for frayed wiring and wiring that has fallen out of its outlet. When touching wires, use a voltage tester to verify they are still live and not just grounding wires.

This is important because grounding wires do not carry current or do anything other than redirect the electricity away from you. Make sure the room where you are working has been properly de-energized by turning off any power strips, kill switches, circuit breakers, etc.

Check the Outlets:

One of the most common causes of electrical fires is overloaded circuits. It’s also very easy to do – one cord plugged into two outlets and presto, you have a problem.

If you want to make sure your circuits are safe, unplug every electronic item in the room (or at least turn them off) and plug just one item in. Watch the cord for any sign of overheating, including hot spots, sparks or charring.

Ensure Your Wiring is up to Code:

Before you even think about turning the power back on, be sure to check your wiring for any major damage or safety hazards. Pay close attention to the insulation around cables, the age of a circuit breaker, as well as making sure that all receptacles and light switches are installed correctly. Asking a qualified electrician to conduct an inspection is always wise.

Test for Outlet Tightness:

Is your electrical outlet tight against the wall? Is there anything stuck in or loose behind the receptacle? Test with a circuit tester. If you have to screw in or pull out your plug to get a good connection, it’s time to call an electrician. And be sure that you don’t overload outlets, which can also cause them to overheat and even break.

Conclusion

Nothing is more dangerous than an appliance or device that is not working properly. It’s a fact: home electrical safety should be a top priority for all homeowners, renters, and business owners alike. To keep your family and property safe from the dangers of electrical malfunctions, we suggest performing these simple maintenance checks on at least a yearly basis and work with an electrician to get an electrical installation condition report (EICR), commonly known as electrical safety certificate.