Introduction to Electrical Hazards

In our modern world, electricity is a fundamental part of daily life, powering homes, businesses, and industries. However, with its widespread use comes the potential for electrical hazards, which can cause significant harm if not properly managed. Understanding these hazards is important for everyone, from homeowners to industry professionals. In this article, we’ll discuss electrical hazards, how to identify them, and actions to eliminate them.

What are Electrical Hazards? 

Electrical hazards are potential sources of injury or damage associated with the use of electricity. They include a wide range of risks, from electric shocks to electrical fires, and can result in severe property damage, injuries, or even fatalities.

Why It’s Important to Know About Electrical Hazards 

Awareness of electrical hazards is key to preventing accidents. Understanding the risks associated with electrical systems helps individuals and professionals implement safety measures and practices to protect themselves, others, and their property. This knowledge is particularly critical in workplaces where employees regularly interact with electrical equipment.

Causes of Electrical Hazards 

Electrical hazards can stem from a number of sources:

• Faulty Wiring and Equipment – Improper wiring, aging electrical infrastructure, and malfunctioning equipment can lead to dangerous situations.
• Overloading Circuits – Overloading power outlets and circuits can cause overheating and potentially start a fire.
• Lack of Grounding – Inadequately grounded electrical system increases the risk of electric shock.
• Exposure to Water – Electricity and water are a dangerous combination, heightening the risk of electric shock.
• Improper Installation or Maintenance – Electrical systems that are not properly installed or maintained can quickly become hazardous.

What Are Common Electrical Hazards?

There are five main types of electrical hazards:

• Electric Shock – Electric shocks can occur when the human body comes into contact with an electrical energy source.
• Arc Flashes and Blasts – These are intense and sudden releases of electrical energy into the air.
• Electrical Fires – These can be caused by overheated wires, equipment failures, or improper electrical installations.
• Electrocution – In high-voltage situations, fatal electric shocks can occur.
• Power Surges – Unexpected increases in electrical power can damage equipment and pose fire risks.

What Safety Standards Apply to Electrical Hazards?

Several safety standards and guidelines help to mitigate electrical hazards:

• National Electrical Code (NEC) – The NEC offers guideline for safe electrical installation and maintenance.
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – OSHA sets standards for electrical safety in the workplace.
• International Electromechanical Commission (IEC) – This body provides international standards for electrical technologies and safety.
• Local Building Codes – Most jurisdictions incorporate NEC guidelines and may have additional requirements.

Contact Delta Electric for All of Your Electrical Work

Delta Electric, with its rich history and extensive expertise in electrical safety, is ready to help you to recognize electrical hazards and safely deal with them. Our commitment is to be more than just service providers. We aim to be educators and partners with you to avoid electrical hazards. By choosing Delta Electric, you are not just ensuring the safe operation of your electrical systems, you are also investing in the long-term safety and efficiency of your property.

Our professional team, armed with the latest tools, knowledge, and technology, is dedicated to delivering service that meets the highest standard of quality and safety  Whether it’s conducting a routine inspection, offering tailored solutions, or providing emergency services, we are equipped to address all of your electrical needs.

Don’t let electrical hazards put your safety at risk.  Reach out to us by completing our contact form or by calling us to speak to a member of our team. Gain the peace of mind that all is well with your electrical system.

Delta Electric is a fully licensed and insured electrical contractor that has served the San Jose, CA, area since 1982.  Specializing in a range of services for residential, mobile, and commercial properties, we offer expert solutions for electrical installations and repairs. Our offerings include custom lighting, panel upgrades, remodeling, wiring, safety inspections, grounding, and much more. As a local, family owned and operated business, we pride ourselves on our community connections. We aim to deliver top-notch service, backed up by over three decades of experience in the electrical industry. We provide free estimates, reasonable rates with no hidden fees, 24 hour emergency services, along with a commitment to quality.

For more information about the products and services we provide, or to request service or a free estimate, contact us today via our website or give us a call at 408-495-2031. We look forward to serving you!

 Why Work with an Electrician from Delta Electric

For over 32 years, Delta Electric has been a premier residential electrician company in San Jose, CA. We are highly experienced and skilled in all aspects of home electrical work – including renovations, remodeling, wiring repairs, lighting installations, and more. Our team of certified professionals has years of experience working with the codes and regulations that guide San Jose’s electrical industry. We understand the complexity of home electrical systems and will provide you with prompt, reliable service that meets your exact needs. Working with an electrician ensures that all your electrical projects meet code compliance and safety standards. Furthermore, our team provides you with cutting-edge solutions for your home’s energy efficiency needs so that you can enjoy maximum convenience without sacrificing safety or comfort. For quality assurance and peace of mind, choosing to work with a certified electrician is essential. Throughout this guide, we will discuss why working with a skilled licensed electrician is paramount to the successful function of your home electrical network.

Reasons to Hire an Electrician for Your Home Remodel

Hiring an electrician for home remodeling is beneficial in several ways. First, a certified electrician is familiar with the local building codes and regulations that govern electrical work. This helps ensure that all work meets safety standards as well as code compliance requirements. Additionally, the duties of an electrician include providing the necessary technical expertise to handle any size project. From wiring repairs to lighting installations, an experienced electrician will be able to complete your job quickly and properly. Finally, hiring an electrician saves you time and money by creating the simplest and most energy-efficient electrical network using only what is necessary for your electrical project. With a qualified professional on your side, you can trust that your home remodels will be done safely and correctly while saving you time, effort, and money.

A residential electrician’s duties include installing wiring, outlets, panels, switches, light fixtures, circuit breakers, and other components related to electricity. They must ensure that all work is done safely according to industry standards and local regulations. Additionally, electricians must be able to diagnose and troubleshoot any electrical problems that may arise. They also perform preventative maintenance to ensure the safety and reliability of electrical systems over time. With their knowledge and expertise, electricians are essential for keeping household and commercial buildings running safely and efficiently.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Electrician

Hiring a professional electrician for residential renovations and remodels is essential to ensure that all electrical systems are up-to-date and meet code requirements. When you hire a qualified electrician, you can trust that your home will meet those requirements. In addition, they can provide accurate estimates of costs so you can budget accordingly for the job. Some other important benefits of hiring a professional electrician for your electrical remodel or renovation are:

• Improved Safety – By hiring a professional electrician, you can ensure that your home is safe and secure from any potential hazards or problems with its electrical system.
• Comprehensive Services – Working with an electrician gives you access to a variety of services to ease all of your electrical worries.
• Peace of Mind – Knowing that a reliable professional is taking care of all your electrical needs allows you to rest easy, knowing that everything will be done correctly and per the highest standards of safety and efficiency.
• Reduced Energy Costs – By making sure that your home’s electrical system is properly maintained, Delta Electric can help lower your energy bills by ensuring proper functioning within the network of cables, switches, and outlets powering it up.
• Time-Saving Solutions – Electricians are trained to provide time-saving solutions for any repairs or maintenance projects so you don’t have to worry about spending more time than necessary on these tasks – they will get it done quickly!
• Quality Assurance Guarantee – Take the guesswork out of the electrical aspect of your home improvement project. Delta Electric provides quality assurance throughout every step of your electrical remodel.

Why Hire a Professional Electrician from Delta Electric?

Delta Electric has been providing outstanding electrician services to the San Jose area for over 32 years. We offer a wide range of electrical services that are designed to put safety first, get it done right the first time, be as efficient as possible, provide the most effective working electric network, and be the most cost-effective solution for homeowners. Our team of experienced and certified electricians has the knowledge and expertise to handle any electrical project, big or small.

Our experience in the industry enables us to address any age-related issues that may be present in an older home while also providing time-saving solutions and a quality assurance guarantee so you can trust that the job will be done properly. We use the latest technology and techniques to ensure industry standards are met while ensuring our customers get the best value for their money. With Delta Electric on your side, you can rest assured knowing that everything related to electricity will run safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively. Contact us today to see how we can help you with your next home improvement project!

Contact Delta Electric for Home Electrical Done Right

With decades of experience in San Jose’s electrical industry, Delta Electric provides exceptional customer service and quality results for any size project. We are proud to be a trusted partner for homeowners throughout the San Jose area, ensuring top-notch safety and performance standards regardless of the scope or complexity of your job. Take the worry out of your home renovation – trust Delta Electric to get it done right the first time! Contact Delta Electric today to start your project and make sure your home is safe and up to date.

Delta Electric on Dedicated Circuits

Delta Electric has been providing dedicated circuits for homes in the San Jose area for the past 32 years. Dedicated circuits are designed to bring electricity safely and efficiently into any living space, ensuring that the electrical load is balanced correctly and preventing the overloading of existing circuits. With Delta Electric, you can be sure your home is safe from the threat of electric shock or fire due to overloaded circuits. Delta Electric provides quality and dependable service so you can have peace of mind knowing your home is safe and secure from electrical hazards.

What Is a Dedicated Circuit?

Dedicated circuits are electrical wires and cables that are specifically reserved for one appliance or device. These dedicated circuits are safely wired directly from the main power source to the specific appliance, eliminating any risk of overloading the circuit with too much current. This ensures that each device is getting enough power to operate efficiently and safely without interfering with other devices on the same circuit. Dedicated circuits also prevent tripped breakers, blown fuse boxes, and other issues caused by overloaded circuits. By using dedicated circuits, you can be sure your home always has a safe and efficient electrical system.

What Are the Benefits of Dedicated Circuits?

Dedicated circuits are important for several reasons. Dedicated circuits prevent a tripped breaker from happening when there are multiple appliances or devices plugged in and working. They increase electrical safety by preventing the overloading of existing circuits and reducing the risk of fire and electric shock. Dedicated circuits also improve efficiency by ensuring that the correct amount of current is being used for each given application. This results in a more efficient use of energy, saving money on electrical costs. Additionally, dedicated circuits help protect sensitive electronic equipment from power outages or surges, which can damage them. Dedicated circuits are essential for keeping your home and its contents safe and running efficiently.

Types of Dedicated Circuits

Dedicated circuits are available for a variety of appliances and purposes, from large kitchen and laundry room appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, and dryers, to smaller appliances like microwaves and coffee makers. Dedicated circuits are also necessary for certain applications, such as wiring for electric stoves, hot tubs, and electric water heaters.

How to Find the Right Size Dedicated Circuit

Finding the right size dedicated circuit for your appliance or wiring is important. To do this, you’ll need to figure out the amperage (amps) of the circuit. The circuit’s amps will determine the wire and breaker size needed. Delta Electric has experienced electricians who can help you find the right size dedicated circuit for your home and provide professional installation services.

Why Do Homes Need Dedicated Circuits?

Ever experience the frustration that comes when you’re cooking up a big meal using the stove, the microwave, and a pressure cooker at the same time – then as soon as you plug in and start your food processor, the breaker trips? That is exactly why homes need dedicated circuits to ensure that electrical loads are balanced and safely spread throughout the home. Dedicated circuits provide a safe and efficient way to avoid overloading the breaker and prevent power surges that can occur when too many outlets are in use. Dedicated circuits also help protect sensitive electronics from power outages or surges, which can damage them, as well as improve energy efficiency by ensuring the correct amount of current is being used for each application. By using dedicated circuits, you can have peace of mind knowing your home has a safe and properly functioning electrical system at all times.

What Appliances Need a Dedicated Circuit?

Most large kitchen and laundry room appliances need dedicated circuits to ensure they are getting the correct amount of current, such as:

• Refrigerators
• Dishwashers
• Washers
• Dryers
• Electric stoves
• Hot tubs
• Electric water heaters
• Microwaves
• Coffee makers
• Other small electronics

Dedicated circuits are also important for certain types of wiring, such as GFCI outlets (ground fault circuit interrupter) that should always have their circuit in bathrooms and kitchens. Having these items on separate circuits eliminates the risk of overloading existing circuits and keeps everyone safe from potential fires or electric shocks caused by overloaded electrical systems.

Contact Us Today for Professional Dedicated Circuit Services

Delta Electric offers quality services at an affordable price, and we have been providing dedicated circuits for over 32 years. Dedicated circuits ensure that electricity runs safely and efficiently, reducing fire risks and improving energy efficiency. Invest in dedicated circuits today and feel confident that your home is secure from any electrical hazards. Contact Delta Electric for all your electrical work. We’ll get your appliances up and running in no time.

If your commercial office is more than a decade old, chances are that it may be in need of services from a commercial electrician. Along with checking your breaker box and grounding, your electrician serving San Jose will also be able to determine whether your electrical wiring is in need of an upgrade. By investing in new electrical wiring for your office building, you can help to keep your facility in safe condition for all of your daily operations.

There are a few common signs that your office is ready for rewiring services. With services from a commercial electrician, you can determine whether your existing wiring was installed using materials that are now considered to be outdated. Office buildings that contain aluminum electrical wiring should be renovated with the latest wiring materials. Another sign that your office needs to be rewired is when you start to notice that your current system is not providing enough power to your switches or outlets.

The inventors of the LED light have recently been awarded with the Nobel Prize in Physics. In this video from Seeker, you will take a look at how LED lighting has changed the world. By providing homeowners and businesses with energy-efficient lighting, LED lights have improved our quality of life. An electrician serving San Jose can help you plan a new LED lighting installation for your home.

After you make the switch to LED hanging lights and recessed lights throughout your household, you are sure to be impressed with the amazing performance of these innovative light bulbs. LED lights are much longer lasting than conventional bulbs, and they can help you to significantly decrease your home’s energy consumption.

Home remodeling refers to more than new kitchen countertops or a different front door. Sometimes you need to have your residential electrician in San Jose offer electrical remodeling services. This might include replacing electrical panels that have become faulty or dangerous, changing the wiring in your home, or adding a couple of extra circuits to avoid power outages and increase convenience. Keep reading to see why you may need electrical remodeling services .

Fixing Faulty Electrical Panels

Older homes tend to have older fixtures and appliances, which means your electrical panel might not be up-to-date. We use different practices and materials today than we did in the past, and there are reasons for the changes that have occurred. As we learn more about the materials and methods we use, we find out which ones are safest and most effective. If you have an older home, your electrical panel might be outdated. This can be dangerous for your home, but electrical remodeling can help. Call your residential electrician to discuss having your electrical panel upgraded.

Rewiring Your Home

Just like how older houses may come with outdated fuse boxes, they may come with older electrical wiring as well. If you want to minimize your risk of electrical problems—and the hazards that are associated with them—you can always consider electrical remodeling services. Make sure you talk to your electrician about electrical remodeling before you take on any remodeling projects so you can be as safe as possible during the process.

Enjoying More Circuits

From your kitchen to your bathroom to your garage, every area in your house has its own appliances that need outlets. If you don’t have enough outlets for your appliances, you might want to talk to your electrician about electrical remodeling services. This can make it so you don’t have to constantly switch out appliances from your outlets when you want to turn them on. In addition, it can prevent you from stretching a wire across the room to make it to an outlet. In this way, adding extra circuits can improve efficiency and convenience.

Although our society depends on electricity all day, every day to keep moving forward, we shouldn’t forget how dangerous it can be when it’s not harnessed properly. It helps to know what kind of wiring you have so you can let your electrician serving San Jose know if you run into problems. Watch this video on why aluminum wiring can be dangerous .

Using aluminum wiring doesn’t guarantee a disaster, but there is a good reason that the industry has switched to copper. Copper doesn’t expand and contract as quickly as aluminum does, making it less volatile and more reliable for your electrical system. If it gets to the point where the connection breaks and electricity must move through the air to get to the next contact, the heat that is generated can lead to a fire. Keep an eye out for charred outlets and investigate any abnormal smells.

Buying an older home comes with certain precautions and considerations. Before you put the down payment on a home that was constructed before the 1980s, you may want to hire an electrician to perform a thorough inspection of the property. An electrician serving San Jose can inspect the electrical wiring, grounding units, and other electrical systems that are contained within your potential home. If the home’s wiring is too outdated, you may want to think twice before you make your purchase. Here is a look at some reasons to beware of old wiring when you are buying a home.

Fire Hazards

One of the top reasons to be aware of the dangers of old wiring when you purchase an old home is the potential for significant fire hazards. Outdated aluminum or knot and tube wiring can pose a significant safety threat to you and your loved ones. If aluminum wires become frayed or otherwise damaged, they can spark and create an electrical fire that will devastate your property.

Poor Grounding

The wiring in an older home may also not be properly grounded. The three prong cords that are attached to today’s modern appliances are designed to connect to a home’s grounded wiring system. If many or all of the outlets in an older home do not contain outlets that can accept three pronged plugs, this is a sign that the property’s wiring system may be outdated and in need of replacement.

Significant Expense

Before you can occupy an older home, you will need to get the property up to the building codes that relate to your area. If a home’s wiring is out of date, it is possible that you will be required to replace the entire system before you can move into the property. A full rewiring procedure can be an extremely expensive endeavor that also takes months to accomplish. By choosing to buy a newer home that is properly wired, you can save time and money on your purchase.

Just like your residential electrical systems, your commercial electric near San Jose should be kept as safe as possible. In order to do this, you’ll need your commercial electrician to conduct a safety inspection. This process can help your workers and your customers remain safe and secure on your premises, and it can also help save your business money. A safety inspection is also an important aspect of staying up to code and complying with local regulations. Keep reading for more on these FAQs about commercial electrical safety inspections.

How can an inspection improve safety?

Not everyone is trained to recognize electrical hazards, which is why your commercial electrician is an integral part of your business’ safety. Your commercial electrician will know exactly what kinds of problems to look for, and he or she can help you prevent them from occurring. You have to consider the needs and safety of a few different groups of people when you run a business, from your staff to the customers who help your business stay afloat. Commercial electrical safety inspections will ensure that your systems are functioning properly and not posing a threat to your employees or your patrons.

Can it save my business money?

When you undergo a commercial electrical safety inspection, you get the opportunity to recognize problems with your electrical system before they escalate. It’s much cheaper to prevent a problem than to have your electrician repair it once the damage has been done, so in this way an electrical safety inspection can save your business money. This responsible forethought can free up your finances and offer you some added flexibility, which is always welcome as a business owner.

Will it keep me up to code?

When you run a business, it’s important that you meet all of the local rules and regulations. If you want to keep your business up to code, you can have your commercial electrician provide you with an electrical safety inspection. In addition to creating a safer environment for everyone involved, staying up to code will protect the reputation of your company and help avoid legal issues.

As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to make sure that the various systems throughout your property are in safe working condition. If you have started to notice that your light switches or outlets are not functioning correctly, it may be time to hire an electrician serving San Jose to inspect your electrical wiring. A team of electricians can take a look at your fuse box and electrical wires to make sure that they are not damaged or in danger of causing an electrical fire. Read further to learn some of the top signs that you need to have your home’s electrical wiring inspected.

Frequent Circuit Trips

The electrical wiring in your home should supply enough power to run all of your outlets, appliances, and lighting. While an occasional tripped circuit is not cause for serious concern, you may want to call your electrician if you are experiencing trouble with your circuits on a regular basis. Frequent circuit trips could point to faulty wiring somewhere in your home’s electrical system.

Flickering Lights

You may want to have your home’s wiring inspected if you start to notice that your overhead lights are flickering. More than just a mere nuisance, a flickering light source could indicate major problems in your home’s electrical system. A flickering light fixture is often caused by faulty or damaged wiring, which will require professional repairs in order to be returned to safe working condition. When your lights flicker on and off, this is an indication that you are ready for a wiring inspection.

Burning or Foul Odors

If your wiring is seriously damaged and in need of immediate replacement, you may start to smell burning or foul odors coming out of one or more electrical outlet. A burning smell could indicate that your electrical wiring is in danger of starting an electrical fire. By taking the time to have your wiring inspected at the first sign of an electrical problem, you can avoid a serious emergency in your home.