Homeowners in Medford, Oregon, recognize how much they depend on their air conditioners and fans when the temperatures begin to rise. Unfortunately, the appliances we depend on the most are not immune to the effects of aging, so it is important for homeowners to prepare for any unexpected malfunctions when the hottest months of the year arrive. Take a look at the following two most prevalent electric issues homeowners experience in the summer to prepare in advance for any problems that may arise.

Surges

A power surge happens when your home undergoes an increase in electrical currents. Household appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators need large amounts of power to function, making them prone to cause surges. Surges might also occur because of defective wiring within a home. Lightning strikes are another potential cause for power surges, and they also have the power to ruin electronic appliances such as televisions and computers.

Keep in mind that an extremely powerful surge can incite a fire within a matter of minutes. Homeowners can decrease the chances of a power surge harming their homes and appliances by purchasing surge protectors and power strips.

Over-Loaded Circuit Lines

When a home is wired accurately and properly, all rooms will have the correct wiring and circuits relying on the specific watt usage in each room. As an example, bedrooms and living areas in a home usually have appliances such as fans, alarm clocks, and lights, which all require lower amp circuit lines. Since kitchens and laundry areas in a home tend to have appliances like air conditioners, washing machines, and refrigerators, they need higher amp circuit lines to sustain higher energy usage. If you over-amp any of these circuit lines until they surpass the volume they are designed to handle, they will eventually cause the power in a room to go out.

Over-amping circuits are common problems in the warmer months when people use additional cooling devices in rooms that were not wired to handle that much power. You can prevent tripping your electrical circuits by being mindful of where you plug in devices and being aware that you can’t just add another window air conditioner without risking overloading the lines.