Power for Progress…A weekly column from the Grand River Dam Authority. Electric safety: don’t overload your circuits this summer

While summer may be a great time to travel, it is also true that many of us are spending more time at home these days. School is out, the children are home and the backyard pool may be the center of summer activities for your “staycation.”

If that is the case, then it may be a good time to revisit some important electric safety tips for our homes. This week, we wanted to pass along some tips from the Electric Safety Foundation International (esfi.org) regarding overloaded circuits.

Here are some signs you may have an overloaded circuit:

·     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. Your friends at GRDA want you to stay safe this summer!

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.                                                                          

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