As the holidays approach, you’ll be cooking more, decorating more, and entertaining more. Your home electrical system feels the strain. Be sure that your devices and decor are in good working order, and that you have safe power for heating, lights, and holiday fun. Aaron’s Electrical Service in Houston recommends taking a moment for fall and winter electrical maintenance to be safe and comfy.
Be Careful with Christmas Lights & Other Decor
After the holidays are over, it’s difficult to muster the interest in carefully packing away all the decorations. Other than breakable ornaments, the rest gets stuffed into a box and thrown in the garage.
Take a good look at string lights and plug-in decorative objects. Check the cord and prongs for damage, and be wary of daisy-chaining extension cord or overloading an outlet.
Test Heating Blankets and Space Heaters
In Houston, small heating appliances may be all you need to stay toasty over the holidays. Since you haven’t used these in a year, test them now so you’ll know if they need replacement. Check for damage and turn them on to see if they work normally without any burning smell.
Replace or Add Electrical Outlets
Loose, cracked, or hot-to-the-touch wall outlets should be replaced before someone or something gets hurt. If your home has jumbles of extension cords and power strips, you probably don’t have enough outlets. Ask a Houston electrician to add a circuit or install additional wall outlets to get the power supply you need for all those new gadgets and decorations.
Keep Outdoor Light Fixtures Clean
Yard lights and wall sconces outdoors can get dirty and cluttered with leaves. This can cause overheating and fire hazards, so try to keep these clean.
You may have heard to bring solar landscape lights indoors for winter. This only matters if we get freezing temperatures, so feel free to leave them out unless the Houston forecast looks especially chilly.
Test or Replace Smoke and CO Alarms
Always maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at the change of seasons. Too many house fires and electrical injuries occur while people are entertaining family or cooking for the holidays. Consider upgrading to a hardwired smoke detector instead of the simple battery-powered kind.
Take Care of Electrical Wiring Issues Sooner than Later!
Have you been living with flickering lights? Does a circuit breaker trip whenever you plug in just one more small appliance in the kitchen or living room? These aren’t just annoyances. You could have overloaded circuits or frayed wiring. People tend to use more energy over the holiday season, increasing the risk of shock, fire, or appliance damage.
Our Houston electricians provide same-day service with affordable rates, so you can get those electrical repair in time before the guests arrive.
Call Aaron’s Electrical Service or contact us to request a safety inspection or electrical repairs in Houston, TX.
