There are two items in your home electrical system that you need to check every month that can literally save your life. Do you know what they are?
The first is your smoke alarm. Whether it’s powered by electricity or just by battery, you should perform the simple “button test” every month and you should replace the battery every year. Some electric smoke detectors have batteries for backup power, but not all. We actually recommend having battery powered smoke detectors so that in the event of a power loss, you and your family are still protected. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, always use caution when working with electrical wired smoke detectors and when in doubt give your friendly local electricians at Cirtcele Electric a call for assistance. Make sure if you have a home with more than one level, you have a working smoke detector on each level of your home (and include the attic.) Lastly, you should know that your smoke detector has a shelf life. The manufacturer will tell you how long it should last. Just today, I looked at one and it said the life expectancy was 84 months (7 years) and as little as they cost, it’s not worth the risk of having one that won’t work when you need it.
The second area you need to check monthly – and probably the one you are least familiar with – is your GFI (Ground Fault Interrupt) circuits. These are circuits designed to protect you from electric shock and are used near sources of water, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and pools. If you have this type of circuit, you will see two buttons on the outlet, one labeled TEST and the other labeled RESET. To test your GFI function, press the TEST button and the outlet should no longer have power to it. To reset it, simply press the RESET button. If you do not lose power when you press the TEST button, or it does not come back after pressing the RESET button, it’s time to call a professional.
We hope this has been helpful. If you ever have a question about anything relating to your electrical system in your home or business, give us a call at 480-545-9600 and we would be happy to answer any questions.
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