Electricity provides great benefits and comforts to us. Can you imagine living without it? Though its uses are infinite, electricity is one of the most dangerous elements in our everyday lives. It is essential that your electrical systems are grounded. If they are not, the risks can be detrimental. Here are some vitalfacts about grounded electrical currents that most people don’t know.
Understanding Electricity
Wherever there is an electrical circuit, you have both an active wire that supplies power and a neutral wire that carries a current back. A grounding wire, whether attached to an outlet or other electrical device, should be securely connected at the breaker box to the ground. The grounding wire serves as an extra path for an electrical current to safely return to the ground without causing danger to anyone should a short circuit occur. When a short circuit occurs, the current flows through the grounding wire causing a tripped circuit breaker or a blown fuse. If that current was not grounded, a tragic shock would likely take place.
Top 4 Reasons Grounded Electrical Currents are Important
There are a variety of reasons why grounding electricity is critically important. These are the primary reasons why you should ensure your electrical system is properly grounded.
- Protects against electrical overloads – Grounding electrical currents protects your home, your appliances and your family from surges in electricity. If the power in your home was to surge for any reason at all, or if lightning was to strike, high voltages of electricity would be produced in your electrical system. However, if your system is grounded, all the additional electricity that is generated simply goes into the ground rather than causing severe damage to everything that is connected to your electrical system.
- Helps stabilize voltage levels – When your electrical system is grounded it makes the task of distributing the right amount of power to all the right places much easier. This can contribute greatly to ensuring that circuits are not overloaded or at any one time blown.
- Helps guide electricity – A grounded electrical system allows for power to be directed exactly where it is needed. Electrical currents are then allowed to travel safely and efficiently throughout your entire system.
- Helps prevent damage, injury and even death – When your electrical system is not grounded you put all your appliances connected to the system at risk of being damaged and even destroyed. An ungrounded system could overload causing fire, extreme property damage and even physical injuries or death.
It is important to create a safe and efficient electrical system in your home. By ensuring your electrical system is properly grounded, you provide protection against fluctuations in your power supply. In addition, you can rest assured your family and belongings are safe. If you live in an older home or suspect a shoddy electrical job was performed, take time out to have your system professionally inspected. The team at Gervais Electric stands ready to help make sure your home and family are safe from any electrical tragedies. We provide quality products and services that will simply not be matched by any of our competitors.
Get in touch with us below if you have any questions. One of our professionals would be happy to speak with you about any concerns you may have. We look forward to serving you!
