Storm season in Florida runs from June 1st to November 30th and often causes a significant amount of property damage. The storms are not only a major occurrence, especially during the hot, humid summers, but they can also wreak havoc on your electrical system.
In fact, damage from lightning strikes costs hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. That’s why it’s a good idea to check your electrical circuits after storm season, to ensure nothing was damaged.
How Storms Affect Your Electrical System
Lightning from storms can cause power surges. These electrical spikes cause a sudden increase in the electric voltage traveling through your home’s electrical system, overwhelming the flow of electricity. This excess electricity can fry or damage anything plugged in, such as electronics and appliances. The damage isn’t always instantaneous. Sometimes, the extra surge of electricity degrades components, shortening their lifespan.
Contrary to what many people believe, a power surge doesn’t necessarily happen when lightning strikes a power line; it can happen when your electricity comes back on. While a strong surge can instantly fry your electronics, a small surge can degrade components, causing potential circuit issues”
Signs of a power surge include:
- Flickering lights
- Burning smells
- Melted wires
- Sudden power loss
- Tripped circuit breakers
Why You Should Check Your Circuits After Storm Season
Many people don’t think about their electrical systems after a storm season, but there could be lots of hidden damage. For example, flooding can damage your outdoor outlets, electrical panel, or exposed wiring. Exposed wiring isn’t just unsightly.
It’s a safety hazard that can cause electrical shocks or fires. In some cases, debris or high winds can strip insulation off of wiring, leaving it exposed and dangerous. There may also be hidden problems, such as worn-out components, loose connections, or fried wiring behind your walls.
In addition, if you don’t notice the problem, it can linger for months, worsening as time goes by. Only a licensed electrician can address these damages and perform repairs after a thorough inspection.
What to Check
Before making an appointment with an electrician, you can do a cursory check inside your home and around your property. Here are some of the things you should look out for.
Electrical Panel
Inspect your electrical panel first. Water inside your panel can cause short circuits. Even if you don’t see water or the water has receded, there may be water trapped inside the panel. If the panel is dry, but you have tripped circuit breakers, reset them. If a circuit trips again, the problem runs deeper, and you should contact an electrician.
Exposed or Visibly Damaged Wires
If you have exposed or visibly damaged wires, turn the power off in your home and contact an electrician immediately. Exposed, frayed, and damaged wires are hazardous and can cause a fire or a severe electric shock. Damaged wiring can also compromise any appliances or electronics plugged into your system, so the sooner you fix the issue, the safer your home will be.
Power Strips
You should also inspect and test your power strips. If your power strips are damaged, they can no longer protect anything plugged into them. In addition, a faulty power strip can increase your risk of an electric shock. Signs of a malfunctioning power strip are a flickering power light on the strip or one that simply won’t turn on.
Appliances
To ensure that none of your appliances are damaged during storm season, make sure to test them all. These include your dishwasher, fridge, washer, and dryer. Your HVAC system is another major appliance that could have been affected by a storm. Check to see if it’s cooling or heating effectively. Don’t forget to inspect your smaller appliances, too, like your air fryer, toaster, and microwave.
Electronics
Power surges can also fry electronics, so it’s a good idea to test any electronics that were plugged into your electrical system at the time of a power surge. Electronics include your TV, computer, laptop, gaming consoles, and your phones. Even a phone charging during a power surge can be damaged.
Lights and Lighting Fixtures
Power surges can blow out your light bulbs, but they can also damage your lighting fixtures. Walk around your home and test all your indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures. If you notice flickering lights, a storm may have caused internal damage to your electrical system. Contact an electrician for a professional inspection.
Preventing Damage From Power Surges
Prevention is always better than expensive repairs or replacements. That’s why at Sarasota Mister Sparky, we offer whole-home surge protection. A whole-home surge protector diverts excess electricity into the ground so it doesn’t overwhelm your home’s electrical system.
We also offer GFCI outlets. GFCI outlets continuously monitor electricity and shut off when they detect a “current leak” that could cause an electric shock or a fire.
How the Professional Electricians at Sarasota Mister Sparky Can Help
When you call the electricians at Mister Sparky, the first thing we’ll do is perform a thorough inspection. Our inspection involves three steps in order to identify any damage. First, we check your circuits. Then, we test each appliance to see if any got zapped. Finally, we document any damage in case you need to file a claim with your insurance company.
Once we make note of the damage, we provide an invoice for all the repairs that need to be done, in order of necessity. With your approval, we can replace damaged outlets, electrical panels, and switches. We can also repair your circuit breaker.
Worried about the circuits in your home after Sarasota’s hurricane season? Don’t wait and don’t put up with any malarky. Call Mister Sparky to schedule an inspection immediately.
