If your New Year’s Resolution is to become more organized in 2020, here is a great idea for safety sake! Label your electrical panel, confidently controlling all areas of your home or business with just the flip of a switch. Tidying up your panel is such a great idea that even Marie Kondo may want to get in on this. Here are some tips from Vintage Electric to make this process simple and safe.
Knowing which circuit breaker controls a specific area is crucial in case of an emergency.
Take on this labeling project with a partner, both of you equipped with a cell phone. Other supplies needed are blank adhesive white labels or white tape and a Sharpie.
- Turn on lights throughout the entire residence or business.
- Apply the blank sticky labels, or white tape to each switch.
- The person at the panel will turn off every circuit. Then one by one flip each individually while the other reports where power is back on. Label the electrical panel accordingly.
- Some sections of the electrical panel may not belong to one specific breaker. If this is the case, improper wiring could be an issue. Be safe and call Vintage Electric if this is the case and Vintage Electricians will use a meter to trace the origin.
- For appliances, do the opposite, the person indoors turns each on individually while the person at the panel begins flipping off the breakers until the appliance is identified.
- Clothes dryers and washing machines, water heaters and ovens often require multiple breakers due to the high amount of power required to operate. They usually are marked or piggy-backed to another.
Getting to know where power is within the panel can save you time money and frustration in the long run. Safety first! For any other questions regarding this process and other electrical issues, contact Vintage Electric electricians today.