Electrical grounding can be a confusing topic to understand. To put it simply, electrical grounding is like the emergency brake of your home’s electrical system. Just like you would turn on your car’s emergency brake while parked on a steep hill to be sure it won’t roll away, the electrical grounding system in your home is in place to ensure your safety if something in your electrical wiring went wrong.
How Electrical Grounding Works
Because electricity naturally always wants to travel, it is necessary for there to be a grounding system in place in order to prevent a shock or a fire in case of an accident. If a wire in your home were to be chewed through or a plugged-in hairdryer were to be dropped in water, this is where your grounding system would come into play. The electricity that would be shocking you or starting a fire is instead being redirected to the grounding metal outside of your home.
How it’s Installed
In most modern homes, electrical grounding is installed by pounding a 10-foot metal rod into the ground and then connecting it to the wires of the electrical system. Since the rod is deeply buried into the ground, any electricity that flows to it will be dissipated safely and will protect the electrical system from damage in case of an emergency.
Why it’s Important to Know About Electrical Grounding
As a homeowner, it’s important to understand how your electrical system works because it protects your home and electronics from lightning and other accidents that could happen to anyone – no matter how safe you may think you are. Electrocution is more common than one may think, and electrical grounding is key to preventing it.
Accidents happen and having the peace of mind that you’re safe in your home is something everybody deserves. If you’re not sure if your home is properly grounded, contact Citywide Electric to get the job done by the most qualified and experienced electricians in San Antonio.