Electrical Safety Tips for the Homeowner

MGM takes electrical safety VERY seriously. Our goal is to decrease the possibility of electrical fires by properly installing code-compliant electrical systems in homes and businesses. Wiring is no hobby. Please don’t take unnecessary chances. Please see Permits, Licenses, and Registration. If you live in an older home remember…older homes were not designed and built to support all the electrical products we rely on today.

1. If you have any concerns about the wiring in your home, please call a licensed electrical contractor to evaluate your home’s electrical system as it relates to how you and your family live in your home and the kinds of electrical equipment you own.

2. Install smoke and CO2 detectors at the stairs on each floor and in all bedroom areas. (Contact us for exact locations per code safety requirements)

3. Replace old electrical panels that may no longer “trip” to safely shut the power down when necessary.

4. Replace old electrical lighting fixtures, cords and appliances; old motors, old light bulb sockets and frayed cords are fire hazards.

5. Significantly decrease your use of extension cords. Have additional outlets installed in your home at convenient locations to, for example, television and stereo equipment.

6. Have “dedicated” circuits installed by a licensed electrical contractor to solely support appliances as required by the National Fire Protection Agency’s National Electrical Code (NEC). For example, microwaves and dishwashers require their own “dedicated” electrical circuits (“lines”) which are not shared by any other fixture or appliance. (Circuits are specifically rated to carry a certain amount of current and voltage that your fixture or appliance needs to operate; when the load is too great the wiring can overheat and a fire can result.)

7.  Do not leave appliances like crock-pots unattended; remove excess lint from clothes dryers.

Think Safety 1^st and Always