Know where you main breakers or fuses are, marking them is also a good idea.
If your electical panel is old, have it upgraded to prevent fires.

 


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Some interesting stuff on electricity.
First of all, I assume you know that your power is delivered by utility companies who distribute it through a system of substations and wires above and below ground. This power is generated by coal, nuclear or water. Any other forms of energy such as solar or wind etc. are specific to certain climates and  very limited in use. That will probably change someday as fossile fuels run out and we seek other, safer, less polluting forms of power. Nuclear and coal fired plants generate steam in large quantities that drive turbines. These turbines generate electricity. Both of these systems have drawbacks. Coal is used widespread in the northeast but creates pollution such as acid rain. Coal is in limited quantity and getting harder and harder to obtain. Nuclear is available in almost unlimited quantity but is considered  dangerous by many. I think nuclear energy is a necessity of life, at least in the near future. Many more people have lost their lives in coal mine accidents or by  black lung disease and affects of pollution etc. than any nuclear accident to date. Still, we all remember 3 Mile Island and Chernobyl. The possibility of disaster in nuclear plants is very real and could affect millions of people in a very short period time.
Water generating turbines such as the Hoover Dam, are safe and economical but there just isn't enough water, rivers and dams to meet the demands of an ever growing population.
    Your Neighborhood.
     Anyway, the power is finally delivered to you by your local power company. The wires that run along the very top of telephone poles or buried underground, carry around 20,000 volts. These wires are usually not insulated, so don't ever be messing around up there unless you want to become a burnt english muffin. Spaced along the way are transformers also mounted on the poles. They are fat, tube shaped thingys and have a constant glowing, little light on them. Here the 20,000 volts is transformed down to 230 volts. This power is sent down to lower, insulated wires and then to your house. They use one transformer for every so many houses, depending on the design. This power is sent through your electric meter so they can monitor how much electricity you use and bill you accordingly. Aren't they nice. They have devices now in newer meters that send signals back to the power company telling them the readings. This eliminates the need for meter readers walking around every 2 months or so and actually recording the data. Every transformer has a reset button on it. If the circuit overloads because of a storm, or other malfunctions it may have to be reset. The utility company can send out a repair crew and they may use a long insulated rod to just reset the button. If the power is out in the immediate vicinty only, ie a handful of homes, this is often the problem. Substation outages and downed wires take longer to repair and we all know how much fun that can be.

 
   
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Your House
Now you have the 230 volts coming into you house. It goes through the outside meter and into an inside breaker or fuse panel. Understand that the way you have to 230 volts is also 115 volts times 2. If you take one of the 2 wires coming into your house and use a ground with it you have 115 volts. Your ground circuit goes outside into a stake into the ground itself, hence the term, "ground". I promise I won't say "hence" anymore either. If you use both 115 volt wires you have 230 volts. (115 v X 2) 230 volts are commonly used for appliances that need more power such as electric furnaces,  electric clothes dryers, electric ovens/stoves, central air conditioners and sub-panel feeds.(smaller auxilliary panels for house additions, detached garages or the like.) 115 volts are used for lights, plugs and everything else. Appliances that use gas  heat such as ovens or clothes dryers or your furnace still need 115v to operate.
230v breakers are larger and occupy 2 spaces in the electrical panel. 115v breakers occupy 1 space and are smaller.230v fuses are large and cartridge shaped. 2 of them are needed for each 230v appliance.  115v
fuses are small screw in type.
Amperage is the amount of volts consumed by an appliance. Your breaker or fuse panels main purpose is to provide a safety overload switch mechinism as well as individual shut offs to various circuits in your house. Breakers or fuses have amperage limits stamped on them. Should this limit be exceeded due to overloads or malfunctions, the breaker will trip off, or the fuse will blow. This prevents the wire and or appliance from overheating and starting a fire.After correcting the problem, Breakers can be reset, fuses need to be replaced. Always replace fuses with the proper size. It really helps to have your electrical panel, either fuses or breakers, marked for which area they serve. It should be done before you need it. Also, if you still have a fuse panel, upgrad it to breakers.  All appliances have the voltage and amperage listed on them somewhere. Make sure they do not exceed the limits of the panel.

 

Some Tips
1. Never, ever bypass fuses or breakers in any way. Also use proper size fuses. 15-20 amp fuses are the most common for 115v circuits.
2. Electricity is dangerous to work with, always shut off circuits at the panel when working with it.
3. Check your panel periodically. Rust on it means water is coming in from the outside and needs to be corrected by a qualified electrician.
4. Also check outdoor and indoor wires, frayed or burnt wires, plugs and switches need to be repaired immediately.
5. Have an electrician check your panel and upgrade it if necessary, he can also upgrade your meter as well. Contact the utility company as some things are their responsibility.
6. Replace plugs in bathrooms and kitchens with GFI, ground fault interruption,  receptacles. These are plugs with small safety switches that trip out when there is an overload or short. They are good to have around water and required in all new construction.
7. Be careful with extension cords and too many devices in one plug.
8. All main electrical panels have one main breker switch or fuse pullout
that "kills" the whole panel. Know where it is.
9. Don't take chances with electricity, call a licensed electrician when you are not sure.
10. Winter can be especially dangerous with portable elctric heaters, tree lights and the mass consumption of egg nog. BE extra careful.
11. There are many types and sizes of wires, plugs, switches, fixtures
and other elctrical contraptions. Be aware of what you are dealing with.
Don't just use something you find lying around or something given to you
by your neighbor.

Who To Call
Listen up.
    Many home projects and repairs involving plumbing, walls, tile, carpets, floors, etc. are not usually considered dangerous, unless you staple your head to the floor or get your hand caught in the toilet. Electricity as well as natural gas are not to be messed with. Fireman like to hang out at the station and eat and clean. They do not want to come to your house and have to drag out all thoses hoses and stuff. So if you are not sure or even if you think you are, call a qualified, licensed contractor at the first sign of danger. Danger is defined as: Fires, sparks, burnt smells, gas odors, blackened wire or walls and anything else you even remotely believe will invoke the Red Cross to come to your aid.
I recommend calling local people, or contractors referred by someone you trust who had a good experience with them. Check my