Electrical grounding is one of the most important things that you can do to ensure that your home’s kept safe, especially in this modern age of significant electrical usage of not only appliances but also televisions, computers and other types of energy-intensive things.
What Is Electrical Grounding?
In most cases, electrical grounding literally involves the ground. A ground wire is, at one end, connected with your electrical panel and, at the other, to a metal rod that’s outside your home. That rod, which is usually made from steel or copper, reaches deep into the ground, usually around 8 feet deep, to ensure that the electricity is being safely disseminated.
In modern homes, solidly grounded systems are typically used. In those circumstances, the neural point is connected directly to the ground. Meanwhile, resistance grounded systems, which involve a resistor, are sometimes used instead but rarely in homes. Meanwhile, ungrounded systems, which have no connection whatsoever between the neural point and the ground, is common in houses that were built more than 60 years ago that haven’t been modernized.
Why Is Electrical Grounding So Important?
Whenever excess electricity is passed through your electrical system, it has the potential to flow right into what it powers, possibly destroying it if there’s enough excess power, and to also shock you directly.
Grounding provides an avenue for that excess electricity to take instead, and this directs it from a grounding busbar or lug through a grounding conductor to the ground itself, through a grounding electrode. As a result, that excess electricity won’t go into your laptop, refrigerator or you.
That’s because without this grounding setup, that electricity would likely go directly to, for example, a metal case, which allows that current to flow through it and to anyone and anything that touches it. Conversely, with electrical grounding, the excess electricity is provided with what’s been designed as a very low-resistance path towards the ground outside, and since electricity will always follow the path of least resistance, it’ll proceed to take that option and go away from your home’s interior.
Also note that with no or inefficient grounding, the chances of sparks or arcing increase significantly, and either of those circumstances can result in a dangerous fire.
What Can Cause an Electrical Surge?
An electrical surge can be caused by numerous things.
Sometimes, an appliance itself can cause one when it malfunctions. So can an increase in the electricity that’s being provided to your home, an extreme example being through a nearby lightning strike.
Also keep in mind that when power returns after an outage has occurred, you may experience a spike in voltage. Simply turning on HVAC units and other large devices can cause electrical noise as well. Additionally, keep in mind that loose or damaged wiring can result in localized surges on its own.
What Are Some Common Ground Wire Issues?
It’s important to pay attention to the quality of your ground wires as they no longer working effectively can result in your being at risk of shocks and other dangerous situations.
Outside, animals or people can damage ground wires, whether through general wear and tear or in more direct ways.
Loose connections should be serious causes for concern as well. With how important they are to your overall safety, you may want to consider getting your ground wires replaced.
In any case, make sure to have them periodically checked for corrosion, particularly common in Florida’s humid climate, and other types of damage and to see if they’re loose. Licensed electricians will know what to look for.
You may also want to ensure that they and, for that matter, your electrical system as a whole comply with the current safety regulations in your area, which may have changed since they were initially installed. As a result, replacing your ground wires may be necessary to ensure that you’re kept up to code as well as safe.
Impact on Safety Devices, Such as GFCIs
It’s important to note that a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI), which provides safety in your home, particularly in water-oriented locations such as bathrooms and kitchens, need to be able to do their job. One important way this happens is through effective electrical grounding. In other words, if your electrical grounding is nonexistent or hampered in some way, your GFCI won’t operate as effectively, this also applies to surge protectors.
Three-Prong Plugs
That third prong in a plug is specifically for an appliance’s grounding wire, and it works with a house’s grounding system to help keep both it and you safe. More specifically, its ground prong directly connects that appliance to the overall grounding system that exists in your home, ultimately carrying any excess electricity outside and about 8 feet underground there.
Electrical Safety in Gainesville, FL
Don’t put up with any malarky from your electrical system. Call Mister Sparky to handle any needs that you have with your home’s electrical grounding. Our well-trained electricians will be glad to inspect your property to assess its current condition and, if necessary, bring it up to the level that it needs to be for you to be kept safe.
We serve homes and businesses throughout Gainesville, FL, and surrounding communities, have been in business for nearly three decades and pride ourselves on keeping those here safe from shocks, sparks, arcs and fried appliances and computers.
