Winter Electrical Maintenance

🔍 Key Areas & What to Check

Make sure your main panel is accessible, labeled, and free of damage or corrosion.
Look for signs of trouble: flickering or dimming lights, outlets that feel warm/hot, breakers that trip often.
If your heating demand rises in winter (space heaters, baseboards, etc), ensure circuits aren’t overloaded.
Consider a professional inspection of the panel and any older wiring, especially in older homes.

Inspect all cords, plugs and outlets for frayed wires, loose connections, discoloration or heat. Faulty wiring is a major fire risk.
For any outdoor outlets or lights: ensure covers are weatherproof, no snow/ice is entering/wetting the connections.
Avoid using extension cords or power strips for high-load devices (like space heaters) — plug directly into a wall outlet.

Winter means more demand on your electrical system (heating, lights, possibly space heaters) — prepare for that.
Check that any space heaters are used safely (dedicated outlet, clearance around, not plugged into circuit shared with many devices).
If you have electric baseboards, electric furnace, or heat pump, make sure appropriate circuits and wiring are in good condition (professionally inspected if necessary).

Cold weather and melting snow/ice can allow moisture to reach wiring or outdoor sockets. This can cause short-circuits or corrosion.
Make sure any exposed wiring or equipment (in attic, garage, crawl spaces) is protected from extreme cold, drafts, and moisture.

Winter storms can bring power outages, voltage fluctuations or surges when power is restored. A whole-home surge protector can help protect wiring and expensive appliances.
If you have or plan to use a generator during outages: ensure it’s properly set up (outside, clear from windows/doors) and isolated from your home’s wiring so you don’t “back-feed” into utility lines.

Test your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors before winter fully sets in. Since heating systems run more often, risk of CO or fire goes up.
Consider installing/upgrading Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets especially in any damp areas like basements, garages, outdoor outlets.

Here’s something you can run through in one afternoon:

Inspect all wall outlets: feel for warmth, look for discoloration or damage.
Check extension cords: replace any frayed/damaged ones.
Ensure no major load (space heater, etc) is plugged into an overloaded possibly shared circuit.
Inspect outdoor outlets: ensure cover in place, clear snow/ice, check weatherproof rating.
Visit your breaker panel: make sure no weird noise/odor, breakers labeled, nothing seems burnt.
Test smoke/CO detectors: replace batteries if needed, confirm they work.
Seal drafts around wiring entries, outlets on exterior walls, and if wires run thru unheated spaces.
Consider scheduling with Lytle Electric for a full inspection if your home is older or you notice any warning signs (warm outlets, frequent tripping, etc).

You sense persistent issues: outlets warm to touch, breakers trip often, wiring is old/exposed.
You plan to use heavy-load heating devices and aren’t sure your circuits/wiring are up to it.
You need upgrades like surge protection, added outlets, GFCI replacements, etc.
You experience moisture intrusion near wiring or outdoor outlets and suspect damage.