Faulty overloading of circuits in homes is dangerous and may cause fires, damage appliances, and even result in blackouts. A homeowner must comprehend how to avoid electrical overloads to build a safe and efficient home. The primary goal of this article is to offer basic guidelines that every homeowner should follow to avoid electrical overloads and maintain the proper functionality and durability of electrical appliances.
1. Understand Your Electrical System
If you wish to control electrical overloads, it is crucial to understand some of the fundamental facts concerning your home’s electrical system amongst the various measures meant to prevent electrical overloads. The service panel is also known as a main circuit breaker panel; which regulates the power flow to individual areas in the household.
Every circuit is to have a certain amperage rating, 15 or 20 amps being popular with most circuits installed in homes. Being aware of how much current each circuit and how much your house wiring system can handle, would prevent overcharging of any particular circuit.
2.  Distribute Electrical Loads Evenly
Distributing electrical loads properly, concerning the circuits they are a part of, can help to reduce the danger of overloads. Ensure that you are not overloading any one outlet or circuit by plugging in many appliances that draw a higher wattage. Minimize the number of appliances that heavily demand power in a single circuit by distributing them into different circuits that have been created on the circuit breakers. This balanced distribution ensures that no given circuit shall be charged with a higher load/traffic than the rest.
3. Use Power Strips and Surge Protectors Wisely
Although power strips and surge protectors allow users to have extra outlets as well as protect the item connected from voltage fluctuations, they should be used appropriately to avoid overloading. Never connect one High Voltage Cabling power strip with another, or overload the strip with more appliances that draw more watts of current. Select those that have overload protection that will turn off the provision of power when the load is beyond normal capacity.
4. Upgrade Your Electrical System When Necessary
Older homes’ electrical systems should be known to have been installed before the current electrical usage and thus may not be adequate for meeting current requirements. Some reasons that might warrant you to upgrade your electrical system include constantly tripping breakers or if you need additional capacity for new loads.
This may entail adding more circuits, replacing circuit breaker panels, or increasing the amount of amperes that your home’s electrical service delivers. It is advised that you consult licensed residential electricians to determine what upgrades need to be done, if any, to accommodate the current and future stepped-up current.
5. Be Aware of Warning Signs
Since it is easy to overlook an overloaded circuit and create a dangerous situation, it is wise to learn the signs of a problematic circuit. Some of the signs that may signify that there is a problem with the electrical system are light flickering, circuit breaker tripping often, light buzzing at switches or outlets, and wall plates warm or discolored among others.
If the above signs are detected, please avoid using heavy appliances on that particular circuit and consult an authorized electrician in case of persistent issues.
