Page 60 - KHovanian Homes - Pathway to Homeownership

Section 9 | Home Care & Maintenance ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - CIRCUIT BREAKERS Electrical wiring and appliances are protected by circuit breakers to stop circuit overloading. The main circuit breaker is located in the electrical panel box and if tripped for any reason cuts off all electricity to your home. The smaller circuit breakers within the same panel box control appliances, wall switches, lighting, and the HVAC system. Each switch is clearly marked as to what it controls. Circuit breakers are the safety valves of your home’s electrical system. They protect you, your wiring, and your electrical equipment. You were shown your electrical panel box location during your Gold Key Orientation. However, if you can not locate it, please call us and we will help you find it. If you trip a breaker, go to the electrical panel box and find the appropriate switch. Push the switch all the way OFF and then back to the ON position. If the breaker immediately trips again you are overloading that circuit. Try removing a few items from the line. Maintenance Guidelines • Upon any electrical failure, check your circuit breaker first! When electric outlets fail to work it is usually a sign that a circuit breaker has tripped. The cause could be: • Overloading the circuit by plugging in too many appliances • Short circuit resulting from a worn cord of an appliance or a defective plug connection • Voltage too high for the appliance used • The starting of an electric motor • Ifpowerlossatyourhomeisinjustonearea,chances are an individual circuit breaker has tripped. However, if electrical power is lost throughout your home, first check to see if your neighbors are without power. If the power loss is neighborhood wide contact your local utility company. If the power loss is confined to just your home, check the main circuit breaker at your electrical panel box. If it is tripped, turn it all the way OFF and then back ON. If the main circuit breaker trips repeatedly or there is simply no power, call the electrician listed on the Direct Dial Telephone List if you are under warranty. If you are out of warranty, call a licensed electrician for service. • Personal computers, fax machines, and copiers are now standard household items. We suggest that you purchase a surge protector for your computer, printer, fax, etc., as electrical pulses from your power lines vary in strength and are often unpredictable. These surges can cause serious problems to your computer and other electrical systems. • Thunderstorms, lightning, and power failures can cause circuit breakers to trip. If only your home is affected try to reset by switching the breaker to full OFF, then fully back to the ON position. If this does not reset the breaker, or if the breaker continues to trip, do not continue resetting the breaker as this can damage the panel box, wiring, or appliance that it controls. Call an electrician for service inspection. • If you install a microwave or other appliances that require a large electrical load, you may need a licensed Electrical Contractor to add additional wiring to accommodate the load. Electrical System - Arc Fault & Ground Fault Interrupt Circuits Arc Fault Circuit Interrupts (AFCI’s) are a new electrical circuit installed in homes to help prevent electrical shock and arcing of the electrical current at an outlet. These circuits can detect if a cord from an appliance is defective. At K. Hovnanian® Homes these are installed throughout your new home. Ground Fault Interrupt Circuits, also known as “GFIC’s,” or “GFI’s,” prevent electrical shock and are installed in your home in areas where water is present, such as the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, garage, and on the exterior of your home. They are for your safety and are meant to reduce the chance of an electrical shock. GFI receptacles are sensitive to power surges and interrupt power under certain conditions to prevent injury. GFI breakers are often wired in a series. For example, the bathroom GFI outlet controls the bathroom, and may possibly control other outlets throughout the home. Taking this example further, if the electrical outlet in the garage is not functioning check the GFI in the 42 | Edition July 2019