Wiring dangers

If your home is older, it's wiring could pose a potential danger. You should be aware of exactly how much wattage your wires can carry before plugging in lots of appliances. If your home was designed for a small electrical load, you may experience brownouts, tripped breakers or blown fuses. Faulty wiring is a likely fire hazard, and you should have it inspected if you have breaker problems, or switches or outlets spark or smoke. You should really enlist the help of a professional for any electrical repairs, but if you must do minor work, be sure to turn off all the electricity to the house first. Don't use too many plugs in one outlet and don't let extension cords run through your house on a permanent basis. Consider installing ground fault interrupters. They prevents electrocution and could save lives.