Common Electrical Problems During the Summer

Summer can be a magical time of year, but it is hard on your electrical system. As the weather grows hotter, you are using your air conditioner more often. An air conditioner is an appliance that consumes a lot of power, and when combined with the electrical items you are already using, it can be a big drain. This can result in problems that may require residential electricians in Brantford to resolve. Here are some examples of the types of electrical problems you are more likely to encounter in Brantford. 

Brownouts

You know that the demand for your electrical system can be greater in summer because of the use of your air conditioner. Now consider that all the houses in your neighbourhood, and all the houses in your community, are all placing a higher demand on the electrical grid at approximately the same time. There may not be enough power to meet the demand, and when that happens, brief outages called brownouts can occur. 

Unlike the other issues on this list, a brownout is a problem that extends beyond your home. There isn’t anything you can do to fix a brownout, but there are things you can do to prevent it from happening in the first place. For example, you can set your thermostat to a higher temperature so it does not run as often. You can also try to avoid running appliances that consume a lot of power during peak demand hours to relieve the strain. The peak hours tend to be in the afternoon, so if you can wait to run the dishwasher or do a load of laundry until later in the evening or at night, it can help to relieve the strain and prevent brownouts. 

Flickering Lights

Do you notice that your lights flicker when the air conditioner goes on? This is an indication that the unit is interacting with your home’s electrical system in a way that is inappropriate. Left unaddressed, the problem could drive up your energy costs by tripping the circuit breaker. Heed the warning that the flickering lights are giving you and have the system evaluated by residential electricians in Brantford. 

Ceiling Fans Rotating the Wrong Way

Ceiling fans do not do anything to change the temperature in the room. Nevertheless, by circulating the air so that it keeps moving across your skin, it can create a mild wind chill that makes you feel cooler despite high temperatures. When you feel cooler, you do not have to run the air conditioner as much, which helps you use energy more efficiently. Make sure your ceiling fans run counter-clockwise during the summer. This makes the air circulation more efficient so that you do not have to overuse your fans. Don’t waste energy by running fans in an empty room. 

Too Many Extension Cords

You may be using other electrical fans in addition to your ceiling fans to help you keep cool. If so, you may have to run extension cords to power them. Extension cords are only intended as a short-term solution. It is both inefficient and dangerous to rely on them all the time, or for months at a time during the summer. A safer and more permanent solution is to have more outlets installed in convenient locations throughout your home so that the power is always available when and where you need it. 

Find Residential Electricians in Brantford From Handyman Connection

All electrical work at Handyman Connection is completed by ECRA/ESA Licensed Electrical Contractors. They are able to identify the issues you are having and offer real solutions. If you have been experiencing problems such as these this summer and asking yourself, “Where can I find electricians near me?” learn more about why you should turn to Handyman Connection in Brantford.