It’s our favorite time of year here at Anchor Electric. Spring!!! Along with the weather warming up and new life in bloom, you may also be thinking about starting fresh in your home with some spring cleaning and decluttering! It’s the perfect time to go through your house and really deep clean your space as well as get rid of items you no longer find necessary to your every day routine.
Did you know, however, that this is also the perfect occasion to inspect and clean up any electrical hazards in your home as well?
Have no fear, Anchor Electric is here to provide you with a spring cleaning checklist to ensure the electrical safety of your home as we enter into the most rejuvenating and revitalizing time of year.
Electrical Safety Spring Cleaning Checklist
Inside Checklist
- Inspect cords and electrical equipment- While cleaning and decluttering your home, make sure to take a quick glance at all of the electrical cords and extension cords in your home. Is there any damage or fray? Check behind your tv and your computer while you engage in the deep clean dusting process! Are the cords neat and tidy or are they jumbled and in a dangerous messy state? Make sure to clean up any loose cords and bundle your cords neatly to prevent fire hazards in your home. Make sure to also throw out and replace any damaged cords immediately.
- Check your light bulbs- You may be dusting light bulbs or cleaning lampshades during your spring cleaning marathon. Do you always make sure you are using the correct wattage bulb in each of your lamps and light fixtures? Now is the time to check on this to make sure your bulbs are the correct wattage for the fixture and to make sure they are screwed in securely. When exceeding the correct wattage, you could cause overheating, burning of plastic, and worst case scenario, a fire.
Test your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors- Make sure all of your alarms are in working order this spring so that you and your family are safe at all times! Make sure you have also replaced the batteries in your alarms at least once a year. Push the test button to make sure there is an audible alarm. If not, replace it as soon as possible. - Test GFCI Outlets- GFCI outlets are extremely important when plugging in electrical devices that could be exposed to water. These devices help prevent electric shock. To test your outlet, plug in a lamp and turn the light on. Press down the “test” button on the outlet, which should turn the light off. Push the “reset” button, which should turn the light back on. If the light did not turn off when pushing the “test” button, the outlet is not working correctly. Make sure to contact an electrician to inspect your outlet!
Set up an electrical safety inspection- Let us come out and inspect your home to make sure your home is up to date and in accordance with the National Electrical Code. We will make sure your home is operating safely and that there are no electrical hazards present.
Outside Checklist
- If you are outside using any electrical power tools, make sure you unplug them when they are not in use.
- Inspect your tools and appliances outside of your home just as you did inside to make sure there are no damaged cords or plugs. If you find any damage, throw out the item or replace it as soon as possible.
- Keep ladders away from powerlines when working outside!
- Be mindful of water and electricity when working on a pool, hot tub, or even in wet grass!
Call us at Anchor Electric today for a home electrical safety inspection. We would love to make sure your home is as safe as can be for your family this spring! 386-313-6211