Understanding Your Electrical System and Its Features

electrical system and it's features

There are many features to your home that you might not know about especially if you’re a new homeowner. It can feel like another job sometimes trying to keep up with your home’s appliances and making sure everything works in proper order. One of the things, however, that is so important to take care of is your electrical system and the features that relate to it. Not only does it help to understand your electrical system and what it can do for you, but it will also help you become more efficient especially when you’re paying a utility bill. Keeping your family safe is also a necessity, so keep these electrical features in mind and know how to keep your home safe with your electrical system.

Why Listen to Wave Electric?

Wave Electric takes pride in ensuring the very best customer service. It’s not often that you find electrical companies similar to us because we know what high-quality service looks like and we know how to perform it. Whether it’s an electrical installation, replacement, or repair, Wave Electric is fully capable of handling any task you might throw our way. And with experienced and well-trained electricians in our department, you can relax knowing your home will be in great hands.

Why Is It Important to Know Your Electrical System?

Knowing and understanding the different features on your electrical system hosts a multitude of benefits. You’ll be increasing the safety of your home, especially if a small problem arises; you’ll know what to do at that exact moment. You will also know how to avoid electrical problems at the same time and end any potential of lasting effects that can be damaging to your home. You will also decrease your monthly utility bills, and how can you complain about that? Knowing your electrical system allows you to understand what works efficiently and what doesn’t, which avoids any wasted money in the long run. Lastly, you can make smarter energy consumption choices. You’ll be able to identify which habits work for you and your family and which ones are affecting your lifestyle and costing you more money.

What If You Don’t Know Your System?

Not only will you be vulnerable to higher utility costs, but you’ll also be paying for larger repair costs especially if you don’t know how to solve a problem immediately. You’re also decreasing your personal and home safety. Safety should be the most important thing to all homeowners. Small problems with your home’s electricity can quickly turn into dangerous scenarios. You want to be able to make smart decisions when it comes to energy use and consumption, so knowing your electrical system can truly help.

Major Features of Your Electrical System

Now that you understand the importance of knowing your electrical system, it’s time to go over the major features:

  • Meter – if your home’s electrical system is alive and well, think of the meter as its brain. This box is typically located either on the exterior of your home or in a place indoors. It shows how much energy you’re using, which helps you make wiser decisions going forward. Understanding how your meter works give you the ability to be more aware of your utility bill. It also gives you the chance to know what you’re expecting since you’re on top of it and can spot problems before they become far worse.
  • Main Breaker Panel – If the meter is your electrical system’s brain, then the main breaker panel is the heart. It is usually located in the basement or closet and houses the distribution board that divides the electrical power your home receives in a multitude of ways. This allows you to turn on every lamp or TV in your home, even your refrigerator, and once you blow a fuse you suddenly lose electricity at some point in your home. Finding the breaker panel will be a top priority once the power goes out in your house.
  • Circuits – When power is installed in your home by an energy provider or electrician, it is funneled through the rest of your system by the circuits. You’ll most likely have different circuits for each part of your home, such as upstairs, downstairs, basements, garages, etc.
  • GFCIs – The ground fault circuit interrupter or GFCI are devices that automatically shut off electrical power to a circuit if it detects an electrical current that is flowing where it shouldn’t. This helps protect you from an electrical shock and even protect your home from potential fires.
  • AFCIs – The arc fault circuit interrupter or AFCI helps detect faults in your electrical system, which is extremely convenient as well. They are mainly intended to help prevent electrical fires at all times.

Don’t be clueless when it comes to your electrical system and call Wave Electric Company today!