Avoid These Common Electrical Mistakes

Electricity is obviously very common in our lives. It powers our air conditioning, our computers, our fridges and stoves, and much more. Since it’s so common in everyday life, people often don’t think about potential electrical problems and how even small electrical mistakes can cause big problems.

Here are some electrical issues that you’ll want to avoid for your own safety and the safety of your electronics.

Overusing Extension Cords that Overload the Electrical Circuits

Using extension cords in limited ways is generally fine. For instance, if you want a lamp to be in the corner and the outlet is too far away for the cord to reach, using a proper extension cord is usually safe. However, many people overuse extension cords. For instance, if you plug in multiple appliances or electronics into a single extension cord, you could risk overloading the electrical circuits. This can potentially cause a fire.

In general, you should avoid plugging too many items into a single outlet and limit yourself to one power strip per room. If your home uses a lot of electricity, you may want to consider an electrical panel upgrade or get a professional to install more outlets in your home that can handle the load.

Using Incorrect Light Bulbs

Each light fixture in your home is rated for a certain wattage. Using light bulbs that have a higher wattage can potentially start a fire or cause other issues. Always check the wattage on all bulbs before you use them.

You may want to consider switching to LED bulbs as these use much less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs.

Electrical Outlets that are Out of Date

Older electrical outlets (such as those that only have two prongs rather than three) may not use the wiring necessary to handle the amount of electricity used by modern appliances. In addition, two-prong outlets are not grounded. This can potentially lead to electrocution or a power surge that could damage your electronics. It’s recommended that these be replaced.

In some cases, you may want to have a certified electrician look at your outlets if they do not have a grounding wire present. In many cases, you aren’t able to just switch a two-prong outlet to one with three prongs. An electrician will need to rewire the panel with a three-wire circuit.

Old Appliances

Some older appliances may not have the same safety features as modern ones. Therefore, using them could be a potential fire hazard. It is especially important to stop using older appliances if they have frayed cords or loose wiring. These can potentially overheat and lead to a fire.

Checking your appliances and electronics regularly to ensure that they are in good working order is an important aspect of electrical safety.

Portable Heaters

If you have a portable heater or space heater, you’ve likely seen a warning on the heater that it should not be plugged into an extension cord. This is because they can overheat quite easily if they are not plugged directly into an outlet.

Even a heavy-duty extension cord or power strip shouldn’t be used. This is because space heaters draw a lot of current and most extension cords are not able to handle this. In addition, if you have a portable heater plugged into an extension cord, this increases the likelihood of someone tripping on the cord and knocking the heater over. Not only could this damage the heater, but it could potentially start a fire as well.



If you’re looking for an experienced electrician to help you with whatever electrical issues you may be experiencing in your home, or if you’re hoping to make upgrades that make it safer or easier to use modern appliances in your home, contact the team at Pro-tech Electrical Maintenance. You can easily contact us online or call our Lower Mainland office at 778-241-5102 or our Okanagan office at 778-245-3909.