You can help keep your home safe and your electrical system working optimally with a few simple electrical maintenance routines. Of course, full-scale electrical testing is the realm of certified professionals, but there’s still quite a lot that you can do yourself. Regular DIY maintenance has several advantages.
The benefits of regular home electrical maintenance
While safety is always top of mind when using electricity, a regular electrical maintenance schedule will also help to extend the life of your electrical components and appliances. And it can save you money.
Keeping you and your family safe
Any undetected electrical fault can pose potential safety hazards. These can range from mild electric shocks to serious electrocution or fire. Taking a proactive approach goes a long way to preserving safety in your home.
You can spot some of the signs of faulty circuitry or wall sockets, and call in an electrician before they become a threat to you and your family’s safety. Furthermore, you can perform some basic tests and home electrical maintenance tasks to ensure that your system’s safety mechanisms are working properly to protect you.
Optimal performance and efficiency
Worn out components can compromise the efficiency and performance of your home’s electrical circuits. By regularly checking things like switchboard fuses you can help to keep your electricity system running smoothly, only drawing the amount of power you need. This will give you optimal energy efficiency.
Cost savings
Any kind of damaged or worn components will force your system to draw more power from your supplier in order to compensate for the drop in performance. This can also cause other components to overheat, as they endure more stress than they were designed for, creating the risk of even further damage occurring.
All of this can increase your power bill and lead to costly repairs. Regular electrical maintenance can help you avoid much of this, as you’ll be able to detect problems early. Faulty components can be replaced relatively cheaply, compared to the cost of fixing more serious issues. Plus, when your electrical system is performing properly, you’ll use less power and lower your electricity bill.
Improving longevity for electrical components
Regular maintenance helps to extend the life of the various components in your electrical system. Whether its circuit breakers, switches or plug outlets, keeping them in good working condition can help to prolong their lifespan. This can delay replacements, and prevent them from failing prematurely.
Protecting your appliances
Plugging appliances into a faulty electrical circuit can damage them, even if they appear to be working. They’re vulnerable to surges, for instance, which can blow their internal circuitry. They can also start overheating, causing them to break down if you continue using them. By making sure to carry out regular home electrical maintenance, you can protect you appliances from these threats.
DIY electrical maintenance
While a full electrical safety check is best left to certified and licensed Melbourne electricians, you can do your own basic electrical maintenance. Simple visual inspections and cleaning routines can go a long way to keeping your home’s electrical system working efficiently and safely.
Inspect visible electrical cords and wires
All electrical cords and wires must be fully insulated. Watch out for signs of fraying on their plastic coatings, as this can soon lead to exposed wiring. This includes any visible electrical wiring, power extension cords and the cords you use to plug in your appliances.
If you notice any wear and tear that is starting to expose the metal inside, either replace the cord or the appliance. If other wires have started to fray, like visible ones inside a light socket, it’s safer to call in electrical maintenance services to work on your circuit and replace faulty wires.
Examine your appliances regularly
If your appliances aren’t working properly, they can place additional strain on your electrical circuit, and even damage its components by causing wear. You should regularly check and maintain all your electrical appliances, from hairdryers to your fridge – anything that you plug into a wall socket. Keep them free from dust and dirt, and don’t use any appliance that’s damaged.
Look out for water leakages
Water and electricity create a dangerous cocktail. Regularly inspect your water outlets for leaks and keep an eye out for damp in your walls, as they have electrical wiring running inside them. Focus especially on areas of your home near electrical installations and your switchboard. If you detect any leaks, call a plumber immediately to prevent any further damage from developing.
Don’t overload plug outlets
This is an easy one to spot and avoid. Wall sockets are only designed to carry a certain amount of electricity, so overloading them can cause overheating and damage.
You need to avoid “daisy chaining” – don’t plug a power strip into a single socket and then run an extension cord with another power strip from it. This can severely overload the outlet. Simply spreading the load among multiple wall sockets can go a long way towards safe, efficient home electrical maintenance.
Clean your switchboard
Keep all your switchboard components clean, such as circuit breakers and switches. If you allow dust or dirt to build up, they can interfere with their performance. A lint-free cloth is the best type to use for this.
Test your switchboard safety switch
The safety switch in your switchboard is designed to cut the power to your electrical circuit if something goes wrong. It’s critical for your safety that this mechanism works properly.
To test the switch yourself, turn on a few lights during the day and press the “Test” button. This should cause the switch to trip and your lights will go out. If that happens, all is well. However, if the switch doesn’t trip, your system is compromised and you should contact your local electrical maintenance services. Perform this test every few months.
Schedule regular electrical maintenance services in Melbourne
It’s recommended that you have your home’s electrical system fully checked every two to five years, in addition to your own home electrical maintenance inspections.
We are specialists in electrical maintenance, and our electricians have decades of experience in quickly identifying and repairing defects. Contact us to help keep your electrical system safe and cost-effective for the long-term.
