If you’re a homeowner there’s a good chance you’re aware of your water pipe locations, the master valve and the amount of water you use. This will help you to identify any water leaks and resolve the issues quickly.
However, have you ever considered the prospect that your home is leaking electricity?
The Concept of Leaking Electricity
Electricity doesn’t leak in the same way as water; you can’t actually develop a fault that allows it to spill across your countertop or floor. But, you can be drawing more than you need to.
There are several things you can do to establish where your electricity is going and whether you may be leaking electricity.
But, before you start it is important to remember that electricity is dangerous. If you don’t know what you are doing, then you should call the Electrical Detectives; they will be able to assess your electrics for you and make any necessary changes.
Faulty Meters
The first consideration is whether your meter is faulty. If this is the case then your electricity usage could be significantly higher than the amount you’re actually using.
The easiest way to check your meter is to turn everything off in your house and then turn on a heater or something different. You should know how much wattage it will draw for a set period; this is usually displayed on the appliance.
Leave the appliance to run for the required time and then check your meter; it should have moved forward by just the wattage of your heater. If it has used more then you have an electricity leak.
Checking Faults
Again this is something that is better suited to a qualified electrician. If you discover your house is leaking you need to investigate what is plugged in and what items you have missed from your initial calculations.
It is possible for old wiring to make an appliance run hotter than usual which will encourage it to draw more electricity. That’s why you need to have your wiring checked as soon as possible.
Ground Charge
The above faults can increase your power usage but they are not as dangerous as discovering an electrical charge between your ground and a fixed object; such as your metal downpipe.
This is a result of an exposed hot wire in the ground of your house. The wire could also be resting on a conductor such as a piece of copper pipe. In effect, the electricity is leaking to the ground and could cause a nasty shock. You’ll need to shut your electricity off until the fault is fixed.
If you don’t correct this ground charge you won’t just run the risk of an electric shock; you’ll also speed up the corrosion of any iron pipes and steel fence posts. In short, this will create a constant draw on your electric supply and dramatically increase your electricity bill.
Bad Connections
It is possible to have a bad connection on any appliance which can also cause an overheating issue and a subsequent drain on your electrics. You’ll need to check each appliance carefully to find if you have any similar issues.
