Glossary

Most standard sized homes built prior to the 1960s were built with a 60 amp electrical service. This size was reasonable for the needs of living at the time. Homes today with this capacity usually have gas stoves, gas clothes dryers, and few electrical outlets in each room. Sixty amps would not be enough to service a home with the standard electrical amenities like: an electric stove, an electric oven, an electric air conditioner, an electric clothes dryer and so on.

A 60 amp electrical service can also raise a red flag when renewing your homeowner’s insurance policy. Insurance companies may terminate the policy or demand that there be an upgrade if you are on a current plan.

This type of electrical service can become dangerous when people do things like run too many extension cords or install oversized fuses. It is important to have a certified electrician take a look at the distribution of wiring when upgrading amps or your home may not be any safer than before.

240-volt outlets use two 120-volt wires in addition to a neutral wire to power a single outlet. These outlets are primarily used to power appliances such as clothes dryers, level 2 EV chargers, ovens, water heaters, and central air conditioners. You can identify these outlets by their four-prong design, though some older 240-volt outlets have three prongs.

A unit that measures the rate of electrical flow (electrical current).

AFCIs are a newer electrical device designed to protect your home from fires that can be caused by arcing faults in your electrical wiring. Arcing faults usually occur when corroded, damaged, or deteriorated wires and cords are present. Traditional circuit breakers respond to overloads in circuits while AFCIs respond specifically to unwanted arcing conditions. The AFCI will shut off the electricity if an arc fault occurs, and will trip or short circuit when an overload occurs to reduce the chance of a fire. It is important to note that AFCIs diminish the effects of arcing faults but cannot prevent them entirely.

Learn about the difference between a regular breaker and an arc fault breaker.

A light ballast is a tool that regulates the amount of current in a circuit. These are necessary for fluorescent lights, which would burn out in less than a second if connected to an unaltered source of high voltage power.

Devices installed in the service panel of a home to limit the flow of electricity through a circuit. The breaker rating determines the maximum flow. Learn more about what circuit breakers do.

These extend or add on to an existing circuit to provide an additional power source.

A procedure designed to eliminate wiring conditions that do not meet National Electrical Code requirements and safety conditions. A notice of code violation explains the types of electrical issues in your building and the exact codes that your building violates.

A dedicated circuit is an electrical circuit that powers designated to power a single or limited set of devices in your home. These circuits are often used for high energy consumption appliances in order to reduce the chance of a circuit overload.

A dedicated circuit is an electrical circuit that powers designated to power a single or limited set of devices in your home. These circuits are often used for high energy consumption appliances in order to reduce the chance of a circuit overload.

A dedicated circuit is an electrical circuit that powers designated to power a single or limited set of devices in your home. These circuits are often used for high energy consumption appliances in order to reduce the chance of a circuit overload.

A dedicated circuit is an electrical circuit that powers designated to power a single or limited set of devices in your home. These circuits are often used for high energy consumption appliances in order to reduce the chance of a circuit overload.

A dedicated circuit is an electrical circuit that powers designated to power a single or limited set of devices in your home. These circuits are often used for high energy consumption appliances in order to reduce the chance of a circuit overload.