Consult a licensed electrical contractor or electrician
– about your home ’s electrical requirements.
5.
Arrange to have your electrical work inspected - as
required by the Ontario Electrical Safety Code.
What you should know about
Electrical Panels:
Electricity
enters your home from the Local Distribution Company
through the service entrance at the main switch. From
the main switch, the panel board or fuse box splits
power into circuits that distributed electricity
throughout your home. Each circuit distributing power
throughout your home is protected by a fuse or circuit
breaker. Fuses and circuit breakers detect short
circuits and overloading and will blow (fuse) or trip
(circuit breaker).
Modifications to your electrical panel should be done by
a licensed electrical contractor or electrician and should
be inspected by the Electrical Safety Authority.
Fuses that regularly blow or circuit breakers that
regularly trip should be checked by a licensed electrical
contractor or electrician.
Upgrades to your panel to increase service size
(amperage) should be done by a licensed electrical
contractor or electrician, and should be inspected by the
Electrical Safety Authority.
What you should know about
Circuit Breakers and Fuses:
Fuses and circuit breakers are safety devices in your
electrical panel that are designed to prevent overloading
and potential fire hazards in your home. These devices
protect against over current or overloading by stopping the
flow of electricity when it exceeds safe levels for your
home.
Circuit breakers can be reset using hand controls after
the problem has been eliminated.
Fuses, once they blow, need to be replaced. It is
important that you replace fuses with the proper size
fuse. Also check to ensure that you are using the correct
fuse. There are two types of fuses. Fuses identified with
the letter “P” are recommended on all general circuit.
Fuses identified with the letter “D” are time delay or
dual element fuses and should only be used for large
motorized appliances such as dryers, furnaces,
refrigerators, freezers and window air conditions. Fuses
identified with the letter “D” should not be used on
general lighting circuits.
What you should know about
installing new power outlets and/or switches:
Check all electrical outlets and
switches to ensure that they bear the mark of a recognized
certification agency.
Circuit breakers can be reset using hand controls after
the problem has been eliminated.
Caution: Outlets may be connected
to two different circuits of your homes electrical wiring
system – test both outlets prior to proceeding with any
electrical work.
Outlets and switches must have
proper cover plates that are in good condition to protect
you and your family.
Loose outlets and switches should
be repaired.
Outlets and switches that are
warm to the touch, or hot, should be turned off
immediately – and you should contact a licensed
electrical contractor or electrician about this situation.
Never force a plug into an outlet
if it does not fit – and never remove the third prong
from a plug to allow it to fit into an outlet.
The Electrical Safety Authority
recommends the use of a licensed electrical contractor or
electrician for electrical work in your home.
