Power for Progress: Don't overload your circuits

May is National Electrical Safety Month
Your friends at the Grand River Dam Authority are recognizing National Electrical Safety Month by sharing important electric safety tips all month long.

Power for Progress…

A weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority

May is National Electrical Safety Month …

Don’t overload your circuits!

The Grand River Dam Authority is proud to join with organizations like the Electric Safety Foundation International (ESFI) to recognize May as National Electrical Safety Month. Through the month in this space, we will be sharing important electric safety tips that can help keep you and your family safe. We’ll start off the month with some important safety information about the dangers of overloaded circuits. Here are some warning signs that your circuit may be overloaded:

• Flickering, blinking, or dimming lights.
• Warm or discolored wall plates
• Burning odor coming from receptacles or wall switches
• Frequently tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses.
• Crackling, sizzling, or buzzing from receptacles.
• Mild shock or tingle from appliances, receptacles, or switches

Here are a few ways you can prevent electrical overloads in your home:

• Never use extension cords or multi-outlet converters for appliances.
• All major appliances should be plugged directly into wall receptacle outlets. Only plug one heat-producing appliance into a receptacle outlet at a time.
• A heavy reliance on extension cords is a good indicator that you have too few outlets to address your needs. Have a qualified electrician inspect your home and add new outlets.
• Only use the appropriate watt bulb for any lighting fixture. Using a larger watt bulb may cause a fire.
• Finally, remember power strips only add additional outlets; they do not change the amount of power being received from the outlet.

For more electric safety tips, visit esfi.org and check out this column space in the weeks ahead. Your friends at GRDA want you to stay safe.

GRDA is Oklahoma’s largest public power electric utility; fully funded by revenues from electric and water sales instead of taxes. Each day, GRDA strives to be an “Oklahoma agency of excellence” by focusing on the 5 E’s: electricity, economic development, environmental stewardship, employees, and efficiency.