Every Fort Myers home needs overload protection. If you have a fuse box, electrical overloads “blow” your fuses and break their circuits. If you have a circuit breaker box, your circuit breakers shut off with an audible click. When you need to turn off the power throughout your entire home, you can pull fuse blocks out or flip your main breaker. Although each of these methods is effective, neither is as efficient, accessible, or safe as an external disconnect switch. According to the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC), all new construction must have one. Although you aren’t obligated to install a disconnect switch on an existing home, there are several solid reasons why you should get one.
What Are Disconnect Switches?
Disconnect switches work much like fuse blocks and main circuit breakers. When you, a repair contractor, or an emergency first responder needs to disconnect the power supply to your home, flipping this switch will get the job done in fractions of a second. Given their similar function, installing disconnect switches might seem a bit redundant, but disconnect switches differ greatly from main breakers and fuse blocks in durability, flexibility, and location.
Disconnect Switches Are More Durable
Homeowners are discouraged from using their main circuit breakers too often. Apart from emergencies, you should engage your main breaker switch as infrequently as possible. These emergency shut-off switches aren’t built for repeated use. For instance, if you’re leaving the home for an extended period and want to turn everything off, it’s better to use a disconnect switch instead.
Disconnect switches are installed in many commercial and industrial locations for exactly this purpose. When leaving, workers can flip disconnect switches to safely shut down all lights, climate control systems, and power-reliant equipment. As disconnect switches find their way into an increasing number of homes, people are using them to disconnect power to vacant rental and vacation properties without subjecting their main breakers to accelerated and undue wear.
Disconnect Switches Are More Flexible
Unlike a fuse block or main breaker that instantly cuts power to all building areas and cannot customize disconnection, disconnect switches are flexible. For instance, if your HVAC technician is working on your outdoor condenser unit and only wants to disconnect the circuit for your air conditioner, they can do so with a disconnect switch. Best of all, they can use your disconnect switch without ever having to set foot into your home.
Disconnect Switches Are Located Outside
To comply with the 2020 NEC, disconnect switches must be installed outdoors or just within the primary point of entry. This way, if there’s an active electrical hazard in the building, utility workers, repair technicians, and first responders don’t actually have to enter your home to cut the power.
For many years, firefighters and other first responders disconnected power at electrical meters when responding to emergencies. Now, however, firefighting teams throughout the nation are discouraged from touching electrical meters. Disconnect switches that are located on buildings or right inside their doors are easier to locate and allow for faster and more effective interventions.
The Benefits of Installing a Disconnect Switch
Having a disconnect switch will allow you to turn the power off to individual circuits or your whole home without using your breaker box. This can prove especially handy when responding to an urgent situation if your electrical panel is in a remote location such as your basement, crawlspace, or attached garage.
Having a disconnect switch will also give you two ways to cut the power supply in an emergency. This way, no matter where you are in your home, you can act fast when outlets spark, something catches on fire, or the building floods.
Although disconnect switches aren’t a requirement for existing construction, having one installed will put your electrical system on par with the latest expectations of the NEC. This could make it easier to pass lender-required inspections if you ever choose to sell or refinance in the future. It will also give your electrical system the greatest level of protection.
However, the most important benefit of installing a disconnect switch is having an easy and convenient way for first responders to protect themselves while serving you. Firefighting teams and other first responders are increasingly expecting and looking for disconnect switches when entering homes. At Mister Sparky, we can install your new disconnect switch and show you how to leverage it effectively.