RESOURCES

One of the biggest things that our team at Edison Electric tries to educate our customers is how to avoid winter electrical issues. Often, we find that our customers were never taught, or fully understood how their electrical system works, especially with the challenges that come with our beautiful West Virginia winters

Here is a look at some of the most common electrical issues we see during the winter months:

Extra Light Usage

In the greater Morgantown area, a number of people use extra lights during the winter months. Because it gets dark much earlier, you find yourself utilizing more lights in your home for longer periods of time.

And for those Clark Griswald types, many people add lights for the holidays. And why note – they make your house and community really stand out! (It’s a beauty, Clark) Unfortunately, most people do not have a complete understand of the limits of the circuit they are utilizing.

Also, there is a serious danger in combining various forms of extensions on top of each other. In addition to the concern about overloading your circuit, you also run the additional risk of shock from poor extension cords.

Space Heaters & Electric Blankets

We get it – It gets cold in West Virginia, which often has us looking for our space heaters and electric blankets.  However, space heaters and electric blankets draw a lot of power when they are used. As such, it can overload some circuits, so you want to be careful of what else is on the same circuit.

You also want to be careful how long you run these devices, and how high you have it turned up. They can both pull too much power, especially with older electrical systems.

Too Many Extension Cords

As we mentioned above with extra light usage, you create a hazard by stacking extensions or power strips on top of each other. The more extension cords you add together, the more hazardous it becomes. This drastically increases the risk of fire and electrical shock.

We also understand the need for extension cords, so we suggest the best way to use them is to use a single extension cord or a single power strip. Also, never use more than one, or worse, both together.

Static Buildup

West Virginia winters come complete with cold temperatures and a drop in humidity, which causes everything to become drier. This will then increase the likelihood of static charge, which also increases your risk of sparking a fire just by getting an electric shock.

To help with this, we encourage you to run a humidifier in your home. This will help reduce the risk of static buildup and decrease your chance of having a shock.

If you have any questions about your home electricity, or if your home is equipped to handle your electrical needs this winter, contact our team at Edison Electric, and we will gladly help ensure you and your family are prepared for a safe winter season.