The electrical panel is the brains of the electrical system for your home or business. It contains circuit breakers that control how electricity is distributed. Older electrical panels contain fuses. Each breaker or fuse corresponds with an appliance or a specific area of your home or commercial building. That’s the reason it is so important to label your electrical panel.
Avoiding the Guessing Game
Labeling the electrical panel avoids any guessing when you need to work on your electrical system or cut off power in an urgent situation. It is essential to know exactly what you’re doing in the event of a serious emergency. Say, for instance, there is a need to shut down the power abruptly. If the electrical panel is not labeled, then you or someone else will have to guess at which breaker switches to flip or which fuses to unscrew. When the power must be shut off fast, time is of the essence because taking too long might result in an electrical fire or a fatal accident. If the electrical panel is completely labeled, you or another individual can quickly shut off the power because there will be no doubt about which breakers or fuses to target.
There are many older homes and commercial buildings in Modesto, CA. Some of these are at risk for electrical fires and other electrical emergencies, especially if the electrical systems have not been updated. Therefore, it is essential for all electrical panels be labeled clearly.
Properly Labeling Your Electrical panel
When labeling your electrical panel, it is important that you use a label maker. Using a label maker will make sure words are legible. All labels must be legible so there is no struggle to read them during an emergency. To label your electrical panel, you should do the following:
- Make sure you have someone else to help you as this will save time.
- Turn the lights on in every room. Doing this will make it easy to determine which breaker or fuse is tied to a particular area.
- Shut off each breaker or unscrew each fuse one by one and have your helper tell you which room has been impacted. Create the label before moving on to the next one.
- Remember that certain breakers or fuses are dedicated to appliances. Consequently, you will need to have your helper monitor these appliances so you can correctly label those breakers or fuses.
If you are concerned about the state of your electrical panel or want professional help to make sure it is labeled correctly, contact The Electric Company for assistance. To ensure that you and others remain safe, we can also check it out to make certain it is functioning properly. For this or any other electrical need in your home or business, call us today.
