electrician, Home ,Residential services
Written by Larry Cook

Electrical Indoor Maintenance Before Winter

Now that winter is on its way, prepare your home’s interior to ensure safety, energy efficiency, and comfort during the colder months. The following discusses tasks that should be performed before winter. For any type of electrical work, call an experienced licensed electrician to protect your home and family.

Heating and Cooling Maintenance

Studies have found that heating and cooling systems that are well maintained will have much longer service lives than those that are not serviced regularly. A licensed HVAC contractor will be qualified for component cleaning and lubing, filter replacement, temperature control checking, and other required maintenance that will avoid expensive HVAC repair or replacement. If your home has window air conditioning units, properly remove, clean, and store them when the weather cools.

Water Heater

Depending on the age of the water heater and its usage, flushing it should be done yearly. As time passes, mineral deposits and particles will accumulate in the water tank. Regular flushing will make your water heater more efficient and help prevent the buildup of sediments.

Electrical & GFCI Outlet Testing

You can purchase a receptacle tester at a hardware store. When you find a faulty outlet, it could be caused by a loose wire or perhaps something more serious. Outlets that are faulty will often cause cords or plugs to feel hot. Stay safe and call an electrical services company to take a look.

After plugging in a lamp into a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet, depress the TEST button, and the lamp should turn off. When you depress the RESET button, the lamp should turn on, indicating the GFCI is working properly.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Testing

As winter is the season when homes are more likely to have an electrical fire, test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms every fall.

Generator Preparation

Ask a qualified electrician to inspect and perform scheduled services on your standby generator before the winter storms arrive. Proper maintenance will help make sure your home’s generator will perform safely and reliably whenever it is needed.

Electrical Peace of Mind

Providing professional electricians since 1988 in Maryland, Cook Electric is the company you can rely on for all your electrical service needs, including:

  • Commercial & Residential Electrical Installations
  • Marina & Residential Pier Wiring
  • Electrical Service & Repair
  • Specialty Electrical Services

For knowledgeable, fair, honest, reliable, and conscientious service, call Cook Electric today at (410) 266-9040. We will be very glad to help you.