Unsafe electrical breakers can ruin your gadgets, and your home

We rely on electrical breakers to power our home and devices. Here's what you need to know about maintaining and updating your breakers in order to keep your home, family and belongings safe. 

Electrical fires top most homeowners nightmares, and unsafe electrical breakers are the most common culprits.

• An electrical breaker is the hub of the electrical system of your home.
• It controls the power coming into every device, gadget, appliance and light in your home.

A simple misconnection or even improper maintenance can result in an unsafe electrical breaker.

• Like cars, without proper maintenance, electrical breakers can’t run forever.
• Using the same analogy, sometimes your beloved first car has to be replaced. The same goes for electrical breakers.

With technology an ever-present part of our daily lives, having a proper electrical breaker is important.

• Even with wireless gadgets, the majority of them need to be charged and plugged into an outlet.
• Your electrical breaker supplies your precious technology with its lifeline.

• Unsafe electrical breakers can cause short-circuiting of devices and power to your home.
• Misconnections or improper installation and maintenance can lead to dimming or flickering of lights and spontaneous power outages in your home.
• More importantly, unsafe electrical breakers can cause devastating fires that can endanger your home, belongings and loved ones.

Electrical breakers are normally tucked away in a dark corner of the basement. They don’t often cross a homeowner's mind.

• In the case of electrical breakers, “out of sight, out of mind” is not fitting.
• If you have any concerns regarding the safety of your electrical breaker, it’s best to find relief by investigating your electrical breakers for any problems.

• The first step to safety is hiring a reputable electrician to install or maintain your electrical breaker.
• If you’re unsure if your electrical breaker is safe, right now is not the time to do-it-yourself. No book you purchased or borrow from the library is going to give you the knowledge that an educated and experienced electrician can provide.

Ideally every breaker would be built the same, but this isn't the case.

• As some homes have older and different models, a "how-to" book isn’t necessarily going to provide you with the specifics of your electrical breaker.

• Ensure that the person you hire is credible.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions or even to see their credentials.
• Remember your family and home are at stake.

Electrical breakers are complex and it’s important to hire an individual who understands the intricate electrical system of your home.

• Make sure an accredited electrician is dealing with your electrical work.

 *Not only is it dangerous, it may even be illegal in some provinces, such as Québec, to do your own electrical wiring. The solution: consider hiring a master electrician.