Most of us tend to take electricity for granted. Whe we flick a switch, we expect the power to be there. We expect that power to be safe and constant. That is not always the case, especially here in the Philippines where almost everyone can be an electrician and will claim to know everything when it comes to electical work. Power often fluctuates with surges or drops in voltage. Your house wiring also can have problems that can be a threat to your personal safety. That’s why it’s important to know how to test the circuits in your home.

Making electrical tests sounds complicated and expensive, but it’s not. You can buy a few simple testers that are easy to use for less than Usd20 (Php600).

You can start with a circuit analyser, which is a small gadget, almost the size of an electrical socket adapter. It can be purchased at most home centers or electronic supply stores. You use the circuit analyser by plugging it into any wall outlet. Lights/LED in the instrument will light in different patterns to reveal in any problems exist in that circuit. For example, the analyzer will tell you if the circuit is improperly grounded or if the hot and ground wires are reversed. Either of these can give you a nasty shock.

We often assume that plugging a three-pronged plug into a socket automatically grounds the appliance. That is not always the case because the outlet may not have a ground connection. A circuit analyser will show this. You should check all the outlets in your house, particularly those in the kitchen and the bathroom.

You’ll also want to buy a circuit tester. The circuit tester is basically a bulb with two test leads that is used to indicate the presence of electricity. If for example, you want to replace a wall switch, the first step is to shut off the power to the circuit (never work on a circuit until you are certain that the power is off).

To use the circuit tester, grasp the leads by the plastic collars - do not hold the metal tips - and make three tests. First, touch one lead to the screw erminal holding the black or hot, wire and touch the other leaad to the metal junction box or the green ground screw. For the second test, touch one lead to the white, or neutral, wire screw terminal and the other to the ground. For the final test, connect one lead to the black-wire screw terminal and the other lead to the white-wire screw terminal. If the bulb lights during any of those tests, the circuit is hot, and it’s not safe to proceed with the repair.

Another piece of testing equipment that can help save time and money is the continuity tester. It tells whether or not a circuit is complete - whether a switch or wire has broken internal parts. The continuity tester has its own power supply so make sure that power in the circuit is off when you use the tool. The tester has a metal probe on one end and a wire with an alligator clip on the other. You can use it to test switches, wires, and fuses. Use it to isolate malfunctioning components systematically and end trial-and-error replacement. The circuit tester also can be used to check newly installed wiring. Use it before you turn on power for the first time. It will tell you if any shorts must be repaired before the circuit is activated.

The electrical system in the average home does not need preventive maintenance although it is a good idea to check the circuits in your home to make sure they are properly grounded. You need to work IN the system only when a malfunction occurs or when you want to make a modification, such as installing a GFCI, exhaust fan, or any other electrical installations. At that point it may be necessary to tap into existing circuits.

Working around electricity can be deadly. You must be familiar with the circuits involved and with the safe practices necessary for working with them. In addition, it is wise to consult the electrical codes to make sure that you are permitted to make appropriate modifications.

The light fixtures in most of our homes were designed to hold the standard “Edison base” incandescent bulbs. We’re all familiar with the threaded base on these bulbs since it was invented over 100 years ago by the famous inventor Thomas Edison. This shows just how old-fashioned this lighting system is.

The standard incandescent light bulb creates light by heating a thin threadlike object called a filament (usually a Tungsten) until it glows white hot. This primitive process produces more than 90 percent heat and less than 10 percent light. Luckily, we now have a simple and cheap alternative: compact fluorescent lamps that use about one-fourth the energy of incandescents.

You can buy compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) just about anywhere these days, from hardware stores to groceries. Many screw right in to the standard Edison base, allowing you to keep your existing light fixtures. But the best way to improve the efficiency and quality of your lighting is by installing new fixtures that are designed specifically for CFLs. These dedicated fixtures use special CFLs with a pin-type base, and they include a built-in ballast that replaces the bulky ballast found at the base of screw-in CFLs. Dedicated CFL fixtures are also designed with high efficiency reflectors that direct an even and pleasant ray of light into the room.

You can also buy dedicated CFL fixtures for every application. When you’re ready to install them, you should hire a licensed electrician to do the work unless you are familiar with home wiring. Buying CFL and CFL fixures may cost at first but in the long run you will save on energy and money.

I want to make my house smart, is this possible? It really depends on your definition of “smart” but basically the design of a smart home needs to take into account not only the form of the house itself but also the requirements of the people who may live in and visit the house.

A smart home to you may mean a collection of devices that you want to automate such as swinging or closing of doors and windows, switching of lights, water, alarms, temperature detection and adjustment for hvac or airconditioning, control of rooms such as your kitchen, toilet and bath.

From the definition above, all devices in the house rely on a control or switch located next to them or one that is operated by remote control.

Another version of a smart home is one that has an integrated wiring scheme with dozens of microprocessors (or computers) running the show. This would mean a single network that can be easily and conveniently controlled and that can respond automatically to the people living in it and at the same time run with cross connection compatability with other appliances. In this house, all elements are inter-connected (microwave, washing machine, tv and surveillance cameras), providing interactivity and reactivity, and all are linked to the Internet.

These technologies already exist and our keyword here is “automation and integration.” Whether thru individual switches, detecting devices or a central control panel. The smart home must be designed so that it can be customised to suit the needs of the people living in it.