Ensuring electrical safety is an essential part of your rental property maintenance. There are many warning signs to look out for and boxes to tick on the maintenance checklist.
In this post, John of HaasProperties.com takes a closer look at all the electrical safety principles that landlords have to keep in mind at all times.
What are the electrical safety basics?
There are many things that you should check to ensure your rental property’s electrical system is in proper condition. Check the following list to make sure that your property complies with all of these safety practices. Its recommended to always consult with a qualified electrician to guarantee the safety of your property.
- You may find that you don’t have enough outlets. Extension cords are a temporary solution. If you discover that the cords keep piling up in your rental property, then ask an Poss Electric to install additional receptacle outlets.
- Consider installing ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) because these help to reduce the risk of shock. The GFCIs work by shutting off electrical circuits upon discovering that they have the capacity for a shock hazard.
- Install arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) in the rental property. Basically, these circuit breakers shut off the electricity immediately after it indicates that dangerous conditions have occurred.
- Light bulbs should match the wattage printed on the fixture or lamp. Don’t use lamps or fixtures that don’t indicate the recommended or maximum wattage for the bulbs.
- Plug one heat-producing appliance into an electrical outlet one at a time, such as ovens, toasters, and water heaters.
- Routinely inspect all the electrical cords for any damage. When you spot damage, then replace them immediately.
Common Warning Signs
There are quite a few red flags that you should watch out for when you already have electrical trouble in your rental property. In the following section, we’ll go over the main warning signs for common electrical issues.
- Unexpectedly tripping breakers
What are the typical signs of an overloaded circuit? Do you notice that one particular outlet keeps blowing the same fuse on a regular basis?
While it’s true that sometimes a large appliance can trip a breaker, this would create the same result in any given outlet. If you experience any problems like this, then contact Poss Electric to discuss the possible solutions.
Usually, you need to add new lines or plan other changes to the underlying electrical circuit. Also, keep in mind that tripping breakers could be connected to various other issues. Better to stay on the safe side and let the professionals at Poss Electric examine the wiring.
- Flickering lights
Both chronic overloading and faulty wiring can produce that annoying flicker. When your tenants spot regular dimming and flicking, take it as an important warning sign.
One of the keys to discriminate between an isolated case and something more serious is to switch the flickering lamp to an outlet that belongs to a different circuit. More than one flickering light should be examined by Poss Electric as soon as possible.
- Strange smell
Are your tenants complaining about a strange burning smell? This needs your attention without any hesitation. When any outlet starts to let off a burning smell, it must not be used by the tenants anymore.
But a strong burning smell usually indicates something very serious. In this case, it’s essential to understand what exactly the source of the smell is. Also, it’s important to unplug all the home appliances from this particular outlet.
After the first steps are completed, it’s time to contact Poss Electric. Of course, sometimes there’s a strange smell when you start to use a new appliance for the first few times. But there’s a big difference between a new appliance smell and an active outlet burn emergency. It’s not hard to tell the difference for most people.
- Counterfeit electrical products
Never use products that have been bought from countries with lower safety standards or some highly discounted things from local flea markets. You should better pay more money and get genuine products instead of putting your tenants in danger.
Depending on your area, utilizing electrical products that don’t meet modern safety standards could result in legal trouble, especially in the case of life-threatening incidents.
What are the basics of electrical safety for landlords?
Install arc and ground fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs and GFCIs) to reduce the risk of shock and other hazardous incidents. Only use light bulbs that match the fixture’s or lamp’s wattage. Routinely inspect the electrical cords for any damage. Watch out for the common warning signs, such as flickering lights and tripping breakers. Never use counterfeit electrical products because they could endanger the property and the tenants inside.
