How to Keep Your Home Safe: An Overview of Safety Switches
- Written by NewsServices.com
Homeowners are responsible for electrical and appliance safety in the home. This includes understanding the security measures necessary to avoid electrocution and fire hazards.
A lot of home fire-related incidents occur every year, and a significant percentage of the incidents have something to do with faulty electricity. The most unfortunate bit about this is that the causes of the electricity-related accidents are avoidable. So, for a start, you should have to call an electrician to install your safety switches for you.
As a homeowner, you have to play your part. One of the most important things you must do is ensure you have a safety switch in your home. That could save lives. Not having a safety switch is putting the lives of your family or residents in danger.
A safety switch is also an RCD (residual current device). It is an essential gadget that protects people from electric shocks or fire whenever there are electrical faults.
What Does a Safety Switch Do?
A safety switch is an enclosed switch with two primary functions:
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It is a disconnecting means for a service entrance
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It is a disconnecting means and offers fault protection for people
The safety switch offers protection if you have incidental contact with live electrical equipment. They also protect the enclosed equipment safeguarding that equipment from specific environmental conditions.
A safety switch may have one button but some may have a switch and fuses.
How Does a Safety Switch Work?
A safety switch can monitor the live electric current which flows within the electrical devices. Whenever the current in the circuit diverges from its path, the switch works by engaging and cutting off the electric power. Note that a safety switch does not perceive circuit overloading, which is the work of a circuit breaker. The two are much needed for a home to be safe, and none is superior in terms of functionality.
Any time there is a problem with the electrical system, the electricity tends to move to the closest person. That is where the safety switch comes in. When the electric current shifts its flow and gets into a human body, the switch detects and immediately shuts down the system. That prevents the current from passing through the heart and causing death to the victim. The disconnection takes place within 300 milliseconds.
Suppose you are the owner of a new home where the additional outlets get mixed with circuits, according to the AS/ZN standards 3000:2000. In that case, you should protect socket outlets and lighting circuits with safety switches, considering that the residual current's rate does not exceed 30mA.
Conclusion
Make safety a priority because some accidents are life-threatening. It is also important to note that when installing a safety switch, you will have protected your family or the occupants on your premises from most preventable occurrences.
Be sure to have your safety switch installed by a licensed professional. The professional will handle the installation process with much caution and become accountable in case anything goes wrong. Also, ensure that a technician checks your safety switch to ensure it is always in the proper condition.
