Preparing Your Home’s Electrical System for Winter

As colder weather approaches, your home’s electrical system faces increased demands. Taking proactive steps can prevent winter electrical problems, protect equipment, and improve energy efficiency. 

The electrical pros at Yoder Electric recommend these tips to prepare your Ohio home for the strains of winter: 

Service Inspection 

Extreme cold can reveal weaknesses in your electrical service line and connections. Let us inspect the line from the utility pole to your house, looking for damaged weather heads, loose connectors, frayed wires, or signs of animals chewing. We’ll remediate any issues to reduce outage risks. 

Sealing Air Leaks 

Cracked outlets, loose light fixtures, and gaps along wires are air leaks that strain your heating system.

 We check wiring penetrations into the attic, basement, and living spaces and adequately seal up openings to prevent conditioned air loss. Reducing drafts improves energy efficiency. 

Insulating Attic Wiring 

Exposed electrical wires in your attic can create “thermal bridges” where heat escapes your living space. 

We safely insulate any accessible attic wiring runs using insulation sleeves or spray foam. Taking this step helps reduce the heating demands placed on your electrical system. 

Cleaning HVAC Components  

Buildup on blower motors, electrical coils, and connections wastes energy and can lead to system failure when heating needs increase. We professionally deep clean HVAC components so your system runs efficiently. A clean furnace uses less electricity. 

Examining Voltage 

Heavy use of heaters, lights, and appliances on cold evenings can cause voltage drops that damage electronics and dim lights. We thoroughly test your home’s voltage levels under peak conditions. Any low voltages get corrected before winter sets in. 

Checking Smoke Detectors 

Cold air rushing in when doors open can blow out smoke detectors. We ensure all your smoke detectors are correctly secured and test them to verify their functioning. Working smoke alarms are critical for winter fire safety.  

Examining Outdoor Fixtures 

Freezing rains, snow, and winter storms affect outdoor electrical components. We inspect outdoor lighting, circuits, and outlets for damaged fixtures, loose connections, or faulty  GFCIs. Identified problems get repaired to prevent outages. 

Upgrading Overloaded Circuits 

Heaters, holiday lights, and extra cooking can overload older electrical circuits, making them unsuitable for ample power draws. 

If breakers frequently trip, we will evaluate your panel and wiring for capacity issues. Overloaded circuits get upgraded to handle winter demand.  

Installing Surge Protectors 

Furnaces, heat pumps, and appliances cycling on and off generate power surges during the winter. We recommend installing whole-home surge protectors to safeguard your electrical system and electronics from damage. Surge protectors also improve energy efficiency. 

Setting Up Emergency Lighting  

Power outages become more likely with winter storms. We recommend installing emergency lighting powered by battery packs or small generators to provide visibility if the power goes out at night. 

Preparing your home’s electrical system for the unique rigors of winter is essential to your safety,  comfort, and efficiency. Yoder Electric offers complete electrical winterization services to identify issues before problems arise. Contact us today to schedule a thorough pre-winter inspection and protect your home this season!