Attractive vintage light safely rewired
Older buildings were not designed to support today’s electrical needs and old homes converted to rentals often house more people than they were originally designed for. Outdated or inadequate wiring can become overloaded and this can cause serious fires. It is important to take care not to overtax the system. Ask the landlord what the electrical system can handle; especially if you intend to add window air conditioners, an electric clothes dryer, additional refrigeration or use other high power equipment. Some landlords will permit such additional items only if the tenant agrees to pay for the electricial upgrade. But there needs to be adequate wiring for everyday purposes. If it is obvious that there is not enough wiring capacity for basic needs the landlord needs to update but if they don’t one must be especially careful.
Choose your large and small appliances to ensure they are UL rated and well made. Check on line reviews or consumer reporting agencies for the safest, best performing, most efficient appliances – they may cost a bit more but will be well worth it in terms of reducing risks, saving energy and lasting longer.
Power strips are convenient but can overheat and they are not a solution for insufficient power supply. If you must use them consider the type with warranteed surge protection – especially if you have costly electronics. Do not plug many large items into one outlet and only turn on what you need at any given time. Distribute heavy duty items onto different circuits. Heaters, air conditioners etc. need to go directly into a wall outlet of adequate amperage, not a power strip. If your outlets are not grounded do not pull the third prongs out of the cords. Use an adapter installed as directed and buy or borrow a plug tester to ensure a proper ground. Ideally have the outlets updated.
Extension cords and party lights are potential hazards. Never use a cord that looks damaged and never put a cord on a radiator, stove or under rugs or furniture. Don’t leave party lights out all year long – weathering can ruin the insulation and cause them to short out. An extension cord hidden under a carpet once started a deadly holiday season house fire in my town. Don’t use halogen torchere lamps – they can tip over and are fire hazards. Never leave a lamp on near anything flammable and do not use lighting without a proper protective shade or globe on it. Remember that those spiral bulbs contain toxic mercury and should not be broken – handle them carefully and when they burn out return them to one of the retailers that collects them, intact for recycling.
Never use electrical items near water, while standing on damp surfaces or with wet hands. Outlets in bathrooms, near any sink or outdoors must be ground fault protected. The ground fault cuts power the moment moisture is sensed. Usually ground fault protection is an outlet with ‘test’ and ‘reset’ buttons. Or the button may be on a circuit breaker in the electrical panel. If examination reveals outlets in such locations are not protected the landlord needs to update them; check before you rent. Incidentally, if the test button trips it may turn off other outlets or fixtures, even if the breakers are all on. So check the reset button if there is power out elsewhere. Remember that it is important not to put too much trust in protective devices as they are no substitute for good safety habits.
Check for adequate lighting in hallways, stairwells, entries and wherever there may be a tripping hazard or security concern. There should be a working switch at top and bottom of every staircase. Rooms need a bare minimum of two electrical fixtures, at least two duplex outlets or an outlet and a light so look for these before renting, any less could be a fire hazard when people ‘make do’ with multiple extension cords run from room to room, etc. The tenant is expected to replace light bulbs connected to the unit, which can include personal entry areas and dedicated cellar areas, if you have them. The landlord needs to maintain lighting in common areas.
Inspect fixtures before changing bulbs. Never touch bare wires and treat fixtures with care; glass globes can sometimes slip off too easily and break and twisting too hard on light bulbs can damage sockets. If a bulb breaks turn off the power before trying to extract it. If you see bare metal wire because insulation has decayed the fixture needs repair or replacement. It is worth saving nice vintage fixtures and a competent electrician can rewire them. Tenants need permission before replacing fixtures with their own and should save the old ones to put back before moving. Don’t install heavy fixtures or ceiling fans without adequate support. If your personal table or floor lamps need new cords or sockets proper replacements can purchased at a hardware or home improvement store and installed following label directions by someone handy often at fraction of the cost of new lights. A label often states maximum bulb wattage, if there is none 60 watts is generally safe for a standard base socket open fixture and 40 watts for candelabra base or a fixture of either type with a closed globe. If the bulb is too large it can melt wiring. Keep safe and comfortable!
