To ensure the safety of a home and its occupants, the electrical system must be grounded. The electrical system is one of the most dangerous, which is why special safety precautions must be taken. The building codes in the United States require residential, commercial, and industrial electrical systems to be grounded. Older homes may not have fully grounded electrical systems. It depends on the year the home was built, building codes, and installation.
The primary purpose of grounding is to prevent electrical shock, resulting in serious injury or death. Frequent electrical shock can damage all electronics and appliances connected to the system.
Grounding Adds Extra Electrical Shock Protection
It cannot be stressed enough, the importance of electrical grounding. Scientists discovered decades ago that “electricity travels the path of least resistance.” This basically means electricity can pass through all potential paths, regardless of the level of resistance. When a blender malfunctions, electricity can flow through the machine to the exterior panel. If someone touches the hot panel, they will be shocked. Electrical shock has been linked to mild to severe burns and other injuries. In worse scenarios, an electrical shock could end in death. This is where a grounded electrical system comes into play. Instead of the electrical current traveling through the damaged blender to the exterior panel. From here, it will travel through the third prong into the electrical wiring, down the ground rod, and into the ground.
Adds A Layer Of Protection To Connected Devices
Electrical charges target all connected devices, including small & large appliances, electronic devices, lighting fixtures, heating & air conditioning systems, and power tools. When the electrical charges become more frequent, the connected devices will sustain substantial damage. You can have a brand-new appliance connected to the electrical system when a shock occurs, and it will completely malfunction.
Grounding of the electrical system adds an additional layer of protection to all connected devices.
Electrical Grounding Adds Surge Protection
Power surges may not be as dangerous as electrical shock, but they can cause serious damage to connected devices over time. Frequent fluctuations cause the electricity to increase and decrease. Power surges generally follow a power outage when the power comes back on. They can also occur during electricity fluctuations.
Desktop computers and other expensive electric devices need to be protected from power surges around the clock. Unless you want to replace these high-ticket items, a surge protector is crucial. A surge protector is a technological device designed to suppress a power surge to stop it from running through connected devices.
Unfortunately, the installation of a new surge protector may not be enough to protect your connected devices if the electrical system is ungrounded.
Best Surge Protection Options For Electronics And Appliances
As mentioned above, an external surge protector cannot protect full protection for connected devices. Here, at Alpha Electrician Tacoma, we cannot stress enough the importance of a grounded electrical system. We recommend combining electrical grounding with a surge protector.
Some of your connected devices are integrated with sensitive technologies and components. If these components sustain damage during a power surge, the entire device will need to be replaced. Power surges have been linked to tens of thousands of dollars for the replacement of irreparable electronics and appliances.
We can help you determine if your electrical system is grounded or ungrounded. Contact our local Tacoma, Washington office to learn more about our free electrical system inspection.
Electrical Wiring Grounding FAQs
In the early 1900s, electricians did not always ground electrical systems in residential and commercial buildings. It was not until the mid-1900s that building codes started to require electrical grounding.
It is impossible to look at the exterior panel of an electrical outlet and say it is 100 percent grounded. A visual inspection of your home’s electrical system is the only way to make this determination. A grounded electrical system has a copper ground rod, metal conduit, and ground wire.
We recommend our free home electrical system inspection. To request your free inspection, contact our local office via email, landline, or social media. Our customer support team has decades of experience in the electrical industry.
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