These days, working from home has become the new way of life for many across the globe. With technology advancing to allow remote employment, and global circumstances demanding, it’s a safe bet you or someone you know works where they live – whether that’s a back bedroom, home office, or at the kitchen table!
While working from home has plenty of perks, it does come with a few glaring drawbacks – mainly on your electricity. The influx of energy being consumed on local power grids as professionals are staying home longer can take a toll on your wiring and electricity bill. So, what are you to do about it?
- The Problem With Working from Home –
For most, electricity may as well be magic. You simply flip a switch and the lights and devices power on. It just simply works. But for us at TRS Electric, we make a living understanding how those metaphorical ‘gears’ turn.
Electricity is a very complicated power source. It is something that can provide amazing opportunity, or horrible danger if not treated with respect. That’s why it’s always important to ensure that your home wiring is prepared to handle the workload you put it through.
Increased usage of electrical systems can lead to complications that can cause some serious issues with your home and personal safety. That’s why it’s crucial to always ensure that your home wiring is always up to code. Here are just a few ways that working from home can cause problems when it comes to you electronics and wiring:
- Overloaded Sockets –
Electrical sockets are only meant to handle a certain load throughout their use. They can pump quite a bit of power out of them, but over time they will in fact get overloaded. This is generally caused by too many devices drawing power from them at once. The main culprit here is extension cords/power strips.
When you are running your computer, charging your cell phone, powering your printer, and powering a desk lamp, you can put quite a strain on the socket itself. This can lead to surging that can destroy your electronics, and even pose a significant fire hazard!
- Increased Tripping Hazard –
The more devices you have plugged in, the more wiring you have laying about. You may need to have your extension cords, space heaters, lamps, etc,. All plugged in at once. This leads to wires strewn across the floor that pose a pretty serious tripping hazard!
Poor cable management is one of the leading causes of issues when it comes to working from home. Not only do cables make life more cluttered, but they are always dangerous if not treated carefully–for you and your loved ones/pets.
- Outdated Equipment –
Outdated equipment is something that always needs to be considered. This can include older devices and electric appliances as well as old wiring and outdated electrical systems. These compounded together can lead to danger.
While it may not be feasible to replace every single electronic item you own, you can fix the wiring relatively simply through professional services–or at least have it inspected. Improving the wiring itself can help ensure that your older devices are at least supplied with reliable power that won’t cause them to surge or fail.
- Increased Electricity Bill –
Working from home is most definitely going to increase your monthly power usage and utility bill. This isn’t something anyone can avoid. But, it could be unnecessarily high due to unseen issues!
For starters, outdated or damaged wiring can lead to increased energy consumption that will raise your bill through the roof. You may also see increased usage when you are running inefficient appliances that may be wired improperly–through extension cords, or using old outlets etc,. Rewiring your home office to be more efficient can save you money in the long run!
Check out our other blog on The Top 10 Ways to Save on Your Electricity Bill This Summer, here.
- So, What Should You Do To Avoid Electrical Danger When Working From Home?
At TRS Electric we make a living helping the people of Huddersfield get the electrical help they need. We provide our community with home office wiring services that increase efficiency, reduce risk, and ensure safety all around!
We can make your life as a remote worker safer and happier with our electrical wiring for home offices in Huddersfield. So, contact us today to get a free quote! We guarantee you’ll love the results, and work from home will be even more pleasant than it already is!