Plymouth, MA, comprises over 61,000 residents, 80% owning homes. If you live in this city, you likely have a home value averaging $461,500, almost $180,000 more than the national average. However, if your home is prone to electrical malfunctions that cause electrical shocks, this quickly lowers home value.
No one wants to purchase or reside in a home susceptible to house fires or that may have higher energy bills. So, whatever future you have planned for your residence, whether to sell it or make it your forever home, trust the best electricians in Plymouth, MA, to make it safe. We’re number-one in South Shore, so we’ll relay the causes of and solutions for electrical shocks below.
Loose or Damaged Wiring Causing Electrical Shocks
Have you ever noticed how your phone or computer charger wire looks worn after a few short years? The protective plastic may crack or break, exposing underlying wires, which could be dangerous.
Now imagine this on a larger scale. You may think the wires that run behind your Plymouth floorboards or walls are safe from excessive handling, but they receive the most damage from the following factors:
- Rodents like mice that gnaw through wiring
- Old electrical wiring that has reached the end of its 50- to 70-year lifespan
- Overloaded circuits or electrical surges that cause wires to overheat and burn
- Subpar installations that lead to faulty connections
Once these loose, cracked, or damaged wires become exposed, touching them forces your body to become part of the electrical circuit, sending electricity through you. Even if the wires aren’t exposed, the outlet or switch connected to the faulty wire absorbs the electrical current. Flipping a switch or turning a knob then becomes dangerous in your Plymouth home.
If an expert notices you have faulty wiring issues that can cause electrical shocks and burns they’ll conduct a partial or whole-home rewiring project while also looking for and replacing damaged cords.
Faulty Appliances Causing Electrocutions
The above issues, like subpar wiring and damaged cords, eventually lead to faulty appliances. In the same way that touching a switch sends the current racing through your body, a plugged-in Plymouth device channels that electrical flow. Whether a toaster or a washing machine, their wires fry and cause a shock if you touch the affected machine.
However, appliance issues can also originate from the appliance itself. For instance, a lack of proper grounding means your appliance doesn’t have a ground wire to redirect excess electricity away from the system, causing an overflow of current. Similarly, overloaded circuits with too many appliances plugged in at once overheat and melt the appliance wires.
So, when installing a new Plymouth appliance, do so according to the manufacturer’s standards and ensure each has the appropriate grounding. Also, check for frayed, damaged, or broken wires before plugging them in to avoid an electrical shock.
Electrical Shocks in Wet Plymouth Conditions
Even if you don’t have wiring or appliance issues, the conditions around your outlets can become the culprit. For instance, Plymouth has a humid continental climate with snowy winters and wet summers. On average, Plymouth receives 36 inches of snow (eight inches more than the U.S. average) and 51 inches of rain annually, more than the country’s 38-inch yearly average.
So, if you have outlets outside your home, such as in your backyard or outdoor kitchen, wet conditions make them more susceptible to shocks, proving hazardous to your family. Therefore, replace your existing outlets with waterproof ground-fault circuit interrupters that stop the ground fault to bar shocks. You can then hit the reset button on the outlet to resume a safe flow of current to that location.
According to the National Electrical Code, any outlets that are within six feet of a water source, from sinks and showers to washing machines and wet bars, must be GFCIs. That includes all outlets in:
- Bathrooms
- Kitchens
- Laundry rooms
- Garages
- Basements
Authorized and Ready for Service in Plymouth!
While checking electrical systems regularly may not be high on everyone’s to-do lists, safety should be. That’s why our five-star team with perfect ratings on Google and Facebook offers 24/7 assistance to keep you protected at all times.
Whenever you feel your family is in danger of electrical shocks or you simply need your outlet buzzing to stop, call Crowe Electric. Our certified and authorized electricians service Plymouth and nearby Massachusetts areas, so book an appointment today! Trust us to help with your needs.