26 September 2018
 Categories: , Blog

Having serious problems develop with your electrical system can put you and your loved ones at an extreme risk of being injured or substantial damages occurring to the home. A lack of awareness about the types of threats that your home's electrical system must face can prevent you from taking effective proactive steps to reduce these potential risks.

Lightning Strikes

Lightning is one of the leading causes of electrical problems for homes. A lightning strikes to your home can cause extensive structural damage along with destroying much of the electrical wiring in the home. A lightning rod is one of the most effective ways of reducing the threat that one of these strikes will directly hit your home. While a direct lightning strike can cause devastation to your home, this is not necessary for it to cause extensive electrical damage. For example, it is possible for lighting to strike the wiring that carries electricity to your home, and this can send a powerful surge along the entire grid.

Pest Problems

Homeowners will often fail to appreciate the risk that pests can pose to their home's electrical system. While pests can create unsanitary conditions for you and your family, they may also chew on wiring or leave droppings that could corrode the insulation around the wiring. Unfortunately, pests are often attracted to electrical outlets due to them being dark and secluded. Traditional pesticide products may not always be useful in addressing these pests because placing liquids on electrical components can be extremely dangerous. If you have discovered that you have a pest problem in components of your electrical system, a professional should be contacted immediately as they will be able to safely and effectively eliminate the pests without harming the electrical system.

Water Damage

When a home suffers water damage, there will be ample visible examples of the damages that have occurred. Unfortunately, the extent of the electrical damage can be difficult for homeowners to fully appreciate. However, flood waters can short out any electrical components that they come into contact with. In instances where the flooding is isolated to limited areas of the home, the damaged electrical components could send damaging surges throughout the home's electrical system. Following substantial water damage, your home should be professionally inspected by professional electricians to determine the extent of the electrical damage. This should be done even if there does not appear to be any damage to the system as it can be possible for electrical components to take weeks or months to completely fail after this damage.