This spring, make sure your Kansas City home’s electrical work is in-check. Here is a simple checklist that will help keep your family safer this spring and summer, and give you some peace of mind.

Cover Outdoor Electrical Outlets

Keep your outdoor electrical outlets safer with all-weather covers. Don’t let rain, sleet or snow make their way into the outlets, causing a danger to you the next time you use them. Most home improvement stores carry outdoor outlet covers.

Surge Protectors for Kansas City Thunderstorms

Spring is known for its thunderstorm activity, especially in Kansas City. The lightning may be pretty to look at, but it can cause some real damage when it comes to the electronics in your home. Surge protectors are a great security because they protect your electrical devices, like your televisions, generators, air conditioners, etc., from voltage spikes. We recommend whole home surge protectors instead of individual ones, though. To find out more about whole home surge protectors, read this blog post: What Every Homeowner Should Know about Power Surges and Lightning Strikes.

Extension Cords Aren’t Permanent

If you’ve been using an extension cord all winter, it’s time to ditch it. Extension cords are only temporary fixes. If they are always in use, they have a tendency to overheat and can become a fire hazard or an electrocution hazard. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, an estimated 3,300 residential fires are caused by extension cords each year, killing and injuring more than 300 people. If you have a heavy reliance on extension cords, it could indicate that you have too few outlets in your home, and need to address your electrical needs. If that’s the case, call a licensed technician, like the ones at Fusion Electric, to install more of them in your home in a safe manner that is also convenient for you.

Think Before You Dig

Before you take it upon yourself to install outdoor lighting or more landscaping this spring, take a moment to think about what you could be doing. You could hit a utility line that runs below your property, and if you damage it, you could face some steep penalties. Call Dig Rite or Dig Safe before ever taking a shovel to your yard.

Check for Loose Wires

Now is a great time to check the wires on your electrical meter outside your home. It’s usually located near the side or back of your home close to the foundation. Sometimes when the ground sinks and rises due to fluctuations in moisture, the underground wires connecting to your meter sink and rise with it. If you can see wires hanging out from the meter, it might be time to get a new conduit to cover them. To be safe, always be sure to call an electrician to make sure the job is done right and in a safe manner.

Do You Need GFCI Outlets?

If you’re living in an older home in the Kansas City area, now is the perfect time to update your outlets. New laws require that outlets near a source of water inside or outside your home are certified Ground Fault Interrupter, or GFCI. These types of outlets have a safety feature that cuts off the electricity immediately when it senses an imbalance in the flow of electrify that could lead to shock or danger.

By following this checklist, your home and family will be safer from potential electrical dangers. If you need the help of an electrician, give Fusion Electric a call today at 913-563-7975.