Have you ever turned on the lights and wondered how the electricity was supplied to them? Whether you are looking for an electrician near Annapolis or are just curious, it can be very helpful to understand how your electrical system works. The easier it is for you to diagnose a problem, the faster you can have it repaired. Taking that into consideration, let’s take a look at how residential electric services function and how power is supplied to your home.
Getting on the Grid
Electrical lines typically run from your street to the meter box on the outside of your home. The meter box is the unit that helps the power company to determine how much electricity you are using. From here, the wires are run to an electric panel board somewhere within your home. These panel boards are also colloquially known as breaker boxes, and they are usually your first stop when diagnosing any electrical problem.
The Heart of Your Home
In many ways, the electric panel board is like the electrical heart of your home. From this location, you can control how much power is supplied to each room in your house, and even turn it off if necessary. The electrical system in your home is made up of wires running along the inner walls that supply power to various outlets, and the breaker box provides electricity to those wires. Although it may be used to turn off the electrical supply, the primary function of the electric panel board is to control the flow of electricity around your home.
Building Safety Codes
No matter where you live, chances are that the electrician who wired your home was held to the standards of a fairly strong building code. Residential electric services often require the installation of circuit breakers or interrupters that can cut off the electrical supply in case of wire shortages or potential electric shock. Most building codes also require smoke detectors to be placed in each room and in hallways in order to ensure the safety of residents.
