Shock hazards and warranty
issues. If you live in an older house, you may be
shocked, literally, to discover that your "grounded"
(three-pronged) electrical outlets are not really
grounded, after all. This article describes why that’s a
dangerous situation, how to tell if your outlets are
really grounded, and what to do if they’re not.
The electrical term, open ground, describes a situation
where someone has installed a three-pronged outlet, but
the cable serving that outlet still contains only two
wires, a hot and a neutral, and no ground wire. The
three-pronged outlet gives the appearance of an upgrade,
but the outlet is not really grounded. This is bad news
for two reasons.
Shock hazard
This should be your first concern, and it's a real one:
a receptacle that is not properly grounded is a safety
hazard to you and your family. A shock from an
improperly grounded 120-volt outlet can cause injury,
even death. And take note: those receptacle "cheaters,"
those little, grey three-hole plugs with the tab on them
that you screw into the plate? They don't work, and they
can present a hazard to you and the equipment you plug
into them.
Warranty issues
The following appliances require a grounded
receptacle, for both safety and warranty reasons:
* Refrigerator
* Dishwasher
* Washing Machine
* Computer
* Television
* Any piece of equipment with a 3-pronged plug
Plugging any of this equipment into a receptacle that is
not grounded can present a shock hazard, can damage the
product, and can void the product warranty. Computers
have especially sensitive voltage requirements. Note
that surge protectors will not work properly unless a
ground is present. These appliances and pieces of
equipment are not small investments; protect them by
using only properly grounded outlets. Where necessary,
call in a qualified
Florida
electrician to run you a new wire.
How to tell if your outlet is really grounded
* You can buy a small, inexpensive, plug-in tester at
your local home center or electrical supply store. They
are generally fairly reliable.
* You could try cutting the electricity at the breaker,
pulling off your outlet cover and having a look, but you
may or may not be able to see the cable feeding the
outlet. The older the house, the more likely it is to be
dark and dirty and hard to see behind the outlet cover.
It might be necessary to unscrew and pull out the
outlet. Note: this is not recommend as a beginner’s DIY
project because of the safety hazards involved.
* Why take chances? Hire a pro. If you have any question
whether your outlets are properly grounded - or for that
matter, if you have any questions about your wiring or
your breaker or fuse box - have a qualified electrician
come in and take a look.
What to do if your outlet is not properly grounded
If the tester gives you a negative reading, there may be
other outlets in the house that aren't grounded. We
strongly recommend that you bring in a qualified
electrician to assess the situation and recommend next
steps.
Next steps could involve running new wire, but possibly
not. In some circumstances, electrical code allows for
ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection
(meaning the installation of a GFCI outlet) where there
is no ground; however, the code has very specific
requirements about how this must be done, including
language that must be displayed prominently on the
outlet cover. We do not recommend this as a beginner’s
DIY project because of the potential safety hazards to
you and your family, and the warranty issues with your
electrical and electronic equipment, discussed above.
More about wiring in older houses
-
A good rule of thumb: If
you see wire and it's fabric covered, by all means,
have a qualified electrician look at it.
-
The Consumer Product Safety
Commission and utility companies recommend panel
maintenance every three years. Generally, maintenance
involves pulling the panel cover, inspecting all
breakers and wiring, re-torquing connections,
replacing breakers where necessary, and making
recommendations about any further service that may be
necessary or desirable. Routine maintenance can avoid
a lot of problems.
-
For Florida
homeowners with older wiring for whom rewiring is not
an option, your electrician might recommend replacing
certain breakers with an arc fault circuit interrupter
(AFCI). This is a "breaker with a brain," fire
protection technology that works just like a regular
circuit breaker but also electronically detects
arcing. For new construction and significant
remodeling, the AFCI is now required for all circuits
leading to bedrooms.
Liz Pauley is a staff writer for
ranchrevival.com a website devoted to owners of ranch
style houses, old and new.
For additional information on electrical and other
issues pertinent to older houses, visit ranchrevival.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liz_Pauley
If you are looking for a Florida electrician please call us
toll free today at 888-670-BEST or complete our
online request form.
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