Protecting Your Home and Family Against Electrical Safety Issues
One of the biggest threats to your home is lurking right inside it. Electrical issues cause more than 20,000 fires a year in the UK and upwards of 45,000 in the US each year. Fire isn’t the only danger; 30,000 non-fatal shock accidents occur annually in the United States while 350,000 people per year are seriously injured by electric shock in the UK. An easy way to protect your home and family is to take the following actions. Make sure your electrical panel is up-to-date As your service panel is the heart of your home’s electrical system, it’s critical that it’s updated to meet today’s energy demands and safety requirements. In the U.S., homes built prior to the mid-1960s had 30- or 60-amp fuse panels, but those built in the last 50 years have resettable circuit breakers installed. In the U.S. for example, one hundred amps is the minimum allowed, but 200 amps is the standard in newer homes. European homes have similar panels, though different voltage and amperage standards. If ...