Whether you are the prankster or the victim, April Fool’s Day is a day that gets a lot of attention. After all, it is the international day for the practical joker to craft their finest joke, often at the expense of innocent victims. So much anticipation and hyperawareness come with this day, especially for potential prankees, all to avoid the bruised ego that comes with falling for a practical joke.
It can be intense enough that when April 2nd finally rolls around, that we think the danger is behind us for another year. However, that’s not where the danger of feeling like an April Fool truly ends.
Actually, when you are preoccupied with other issues is when danger can truly strike. One spot to watch is the electrical panel, which has a lot more complexity to it than you may think. Avoiding these common misconceptions will help make sure you aren’t an April Fool for a second time.
Misconception #1: Electrical Panels Are Safe for Anyone
These harmless boxes, often found in garages or laundry rooms, for whatever reason, look plain and simple enough.
Also, it’s pretty common to hear stories or watch scenes where people go to handle the electrical panel without any issue whatsoever. However, there can plenty of hidden dangers to the panel, especially if you are concerned about a malfunction in some way.
Even professional technicians take several precautions when dealing with an electrical panel, especially since so much electricity makes it all the way through the panel. Before you just dive into an electrical panel, be sure to consult a professional.
Misconception #2: Electrical Panels Only Shut Down Part of the Power
We all remember the classic experiment of making a potato battery to illustrate the fact that electricity runs on a circuit system.
The electrical system of our house runs through a more complex version of the same systems, culminating in the fuses and breakers of our electrical panel.
The breakers allow us to easily break the circuit and shut off power to particular regions of the house. However, that is not all that the panel can do. Since all the electricity for the house runs through the panel, a malfunction can cause you to lose power to your entire house.
Misconception #3: The Worst Case Scenario Is Power Loss
Of course, it is pretty easy to assume that losing power is the worst thing that can happen with malfunctioning electrical panels.
Sadly, this is not the case. Particularly in the case of older panels, all of the energy coursing through the wires can overwhelm them and even cause an electrical fire.
A couple of brands of older electrical panels bear inspection, as they’ve been more likely to combust. These brands are Federal Pacific Energy and Zinsco. Older electrical should always be inspected by an electrician to check for dangers.
Obviously, while April Fool’s Day is a prankster’s paradise, it is all in good fun. However, these matters can be very serious. Being the butt of a practical joke is far better than being on the wrong end of one of these electrical issues. If you have any concerns about your electric, feel free to reach one of our experts at Trustworthy Electric by calling (334) 215-1782.