Has your electrical wiring been exposed to water in Central Houston?

We make use of electrical wiring every day, in our home’s, stores, and jobs. If the wiring gets wet, it can corrode or can send an electrical current through your body if touched.

Unexposed wiring for example, is, if you’ve ever gotten a plug wet such as a cell phone charger, then chances are everything is ok because they contain 3 smaller wires, a neutral wire, a copper ground wire and a live wire that are not exposed. You can safely unplug the device and let it dry manually.

Exposed wiring is different when it comes it moisture exposure. The copper wire is wrapped with paper which is then wrapped with the neutral and live wires. If the wires are exposed from a crack in the plastic coating, the moisture will be soaked up by the paper creating rust. Water can help start a fire as moisture can rapidly increase the current in the circuit, which is why circuit breakers or fuses will short. If there were no fuses present, the wire could heat up and start a fire. Water also conducts electricity to your body if you touch an exposed wire as the ground wire is designed to run electricity to the ground, and it will go right through your body to do so.

Some electrical equipment will need to be replaced and others may be salvageable. Any and all electronic wires, cables and appliances should be inspected by a professional before resuming use after water damage. Floodwaters are commonly contaminated with sewage, chemicals, oil and other debris that can affect the performance and integrity of electrical equipment. Salt water can be especially corrosive and conductive due to the salt residue. Turning the power back on to equipment without proper inspection could lead to shock, electrical fires, further damage to your devices or even electrocution.

Water damaged electrical equipment that must be replaced are:

• Batteries
• Medium and low voltage fuses
• Outlet and junction boxes
• Ballasts, lighting and LED drivers
• Circuit breakers (molded case)
• Electrical outlets
• Surge protection devices
• Dimmers and light switches
• Electrical transformers
• Electrical communication systems
• Wires and cables for dry areas

Water damaged electrical equipment that may be salvageable after reconditioning are:

• Medium and low voltage switchgear
• Motors
• Low voltage circuit breakers
• Switchboards
• Panelboards
• Ac Circuit breakers (high voltage)
• Wet area wires or cables (if the ends haven’t been exposed).

Electricity is one of those items that only professionals should repair. There are too many dangers associated with electricity that are deadly. If your electrical equipment has a chance of being compromised, call an electrical professional to assess the situation.