Summer Heat & Electricity: How to Stay Safe When Temperatures Soar

When the summer heat hits hard, your home’s electrical system feels it too. As temperatures rise, so do the risks of electrical fires, power surges, tripped breakers, and overloaded systems. Heat can turn minor electrical issues into dangerous problems — fast.

Whether you’re running fans, A/C units, pool equipment, or outdoor lighting, it’s important to understand how extreme heat affects your electrical system and what you can do to stay safe.

Here’s what every homeowner should know (and do) to protect their home and loved ones during a summer heat wave.

🔥 How Heat Impacts Your Electrical System

1. Overloaded Circuits
More heat means more usage: air conditioners, ceiling fans, portable coolers, dehumidifiers, and more. If your home wasn’t designed for this much load, you can trip breakers — or worse, overheat wiring.

2. Overheating Equipment
A/C units, power strips, outdoor outlets, and extension cords can all overheat in the sun or if overused.

3. Fire Hazards from Loose Connections
Heat expands and contracts wires and materials. If any wires are already loose, summer heat can make them arc or short.

4. Storms + Heat = Power Surges
Summer thunderstorms paired with heavy A/C use? Perfect recipe for power surges, fried electronics, or outages.

🚫 What to Avoid During Extreme Heat

✖ Overusing Extension Cords
Don’t run fans, A/C units, or fridges on extension cords long-term. This can cause cords to melt or catch fire.

✖ Running Too Many Appliances at Once
Using the washer, dryer, oven, and A/C all at once during peak heat hours (2–6 PM) can overload your system.

✖ Placing Electronics in Direct Sunlight
TVs, routers, surge protectors, or laptops near windows can overheat quickly and shut down or become fire hazards.

✖ Ignoring Breaker Trips
If a breaker keeps tripping, it’s trying to tell you something. Don’t just reset it — get it checked.

✅ What You Should Do Instead

✔ Get an Electrical Inspection
Make sure your panel can handle your summer load. Older homes especially need to be checked for safe wiring, grounding, and capacity.

✔ Install Surge Protection
Protect sensitive electronics with surge protectors or a whole-home surge suppression system.

✔ Use Ceiling Fans Wisely
Fans cool people, not rooms. Turn them off when you leave the room to save power and avoid excess load.

✔ Give Your A/C Its Own Dedicated Circuit
A/C units should not share a circuit with other appliances. If they do, call us — we can help correct that safely.

✔ Upgrade Outlets Outdoors
Outdoor outlets should be GFCI-protected and weatherproofed to handle heat and humidity. Never run cords through doors or windows.

👶 Special Note for Families

Got babies, elderly loved ones, or pets at home? They're more vulnerable to heat. Be sure to:

• Check outlets and cords near cribs, playpens, or pet areas
• Use fans and portable A/Cs safely, keeping cords out of reach
• Never plug high-wattage items into multi-plug adapters

💡 When to Call an Electrician Immediately

Call us if you notice:

• Burning smells near outlets or panels
• Hot-to-the-touch plugs or switches
• Frequent breaker trips
• Lights flickering when A/C kicks on
• Buzzing from outlets or wiring

These are all warning signs of overheating or overloaded circuits.

🧯 Summer Should Be Safe, Not Risky

Heat waves are no joke. Take action now to protect your home from summer-related electrical hazards.

At E&A Electric LLC, we offer safety inspections, panel upgrades, surge protection, and fast troubleshooting — all designed to keep you and your family safe when the temperature climbs.

📞 Contact us today for an inspection or summer safety check.