Do you have a light switch in your home that doesn’t appear to actually do anything? Have you ever had to turn a circuit breaker on or off on your electrical panel, only to discover none of the breakers are labeled? Do the breakers or fuses in your electrical panel trip often? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then your home may very well have serious electrical issues. Fortunately, there is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to identify these electrical issues – and resolve them- before they lead to bigger issues. It’s called electrical mapping.
What is an Electrical Map?
In short, an electrical map is a detailed diagram of your home’s electrical system. Hidden behind the walls of your home are a network of wires, cables, switches and outlets that make up your home’s electrical service. Since the majority of your home’s electrical system is concealed behind your home’s walls, under its floors and in its ceilings, it’s nearly impossible to have a clear idea of how your home’s electrical system is laid out. An electrical map, created by a licensed and experienced electrician not only allows a homeowner to see how their home’s electrical system is designed, it can also help point out potentially dangerous electrical issues before they can cause significant damage.
The Benefits of Electrical Mapping
There are a number of benefits to having your home’s electrical system mapped by a licensed electrician. Knowing how your home’s electrical system is laid out in correlation to your home’s electrical panel is especially helpful when a circuit breaker trips or fuse blows. By using an electrical map to identify and label each of the breakers in your home’s electrical panel you can quickly identify the tripped breaker or blown fuse. An electrical map is also very useful when you need to cut the power to a specific circuit in your home, such as when an electrician is installing a light fixture in your home.
One of the most important reasons homeowners should have their home’s electrical system map, however, is safety. An electrical map is an excellent way to identify electrical problems, such as that mysterious light switch in your home that doesn’t seem to do anything. While it may seem innocent enough, a light switch that doesn’t seem to do anything may actually be hiding a serious electrical hazard. In older homes, an electrical map can help a homeowner make sure their home’s electrical system is safely able to meet their demands. The average U.S. household today uses more than five times the electricity the average 1950’s household did. That means that unless your home’s electrical system has been updated to accommodate this increased demand, you may very well be overtaxing your electrical system and putting your home and your family at serious risk.
About the Author
This is a guest post of John Oxford a master electrician in APower Electric Service who has 10 years of experience in electric service industry. We are providing residential, commercial and even industrial electric service to the Greater Denver Metro Area with 24/7 emergency service.
