Unless you are backpacking through the wilderness or living off the grid in a cabin somewhere, you and everyone else uses electricity almost every day of the year (even reading this, you’re consuming electricity). We use electricity so frequently, it’s such a part of our daily lives, that we often forget about any of the harm it can cause. Yet the facts remain that electricity can be extremely dangerous, assuredly so for the inexperienced or amateur electrical workers, but even for professionals as well.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports on some of the hazards of construction and electrical work. The “Fatal Four” refers to four categories that account for more than half of the deaths that occur in construction each year: Falls, Struck by Object, Caught-in/between, and Electrocutions. As OSHA states, “Eliminating the Fatal Four would save 602 workers’ lives in America every year.”
If these electrical dangers affect the lives of experienced construction and electrical workers, the lesson to take away is that when your home needs electrical repairs, call a handyman. Take a look at our list of signs that your home is in need of electrical work, and give Handyman at Your Command a call to safely handle your electrical needs.
Electrical Sockets and Switches
If something isn’t working with your socket, you’ll realize it pretty quickly. Here are a couple of tests you can safely use to double check if your socket is working:
- Make sure electricity is running to the socket. In some homes, a switch is required to bring electricity to that particular outlet. Check to see if this is the case first.
- Try plugging in an electrical device that you know is in working condition (like a phone charger, for example). If plugging the working device into the questionable socket has no effect on the device, this is a sign that something might be up.
This sign of a socket not working is assuming that the socket looks normal. If you see corrosion, discoloring, or any other physical evidence that the socket is not in an ideal condition, it probably is time to replace the socket.
Sometimes, damage can happen to light switches as well. Installing a new switch can sometimes be a bit tricky, especially if you know very little about electrical work. Handyman at Your Command is a solid choice for fixing light switches in your home. Working with an electrical handyman is a great resource to ensure your home has electricity in a safe manner.
Ceiling Fans
With warmer weather here to stay for the next few months, having a properly working ceiling fan is practically a necessity. Located in Bethesda, Maryland, Handyman at Your Command knows how humid the east coast can get. Let us help alleviate the heat by installing a ceiling fan for you!
Fans can be a bit tricky, considering they involve installing a light fixture as well as the fan itself. Save yourself the time and the potential danger of electrical work, and contact your local electrical handyman to set you up for summer and beyond.
Watch lightning during a thunderstorm, or experience even the smallest jolt of voltage, and you know that electricity is pretty powerful stuff. We are so lucky to have the access to electricity that we have, and we want to be able to use it in a safe and secure manner. If your home is experiencing some of the signs that electrical repair is needed, give Handyman at Your Command a call to provide the help you need. Contact us for your electrical needs today!
