With the Melbourne summer on the verge, the people in the eastern corners of the city commence their yearly ritual, which includes checking the flyscreens, filling the fridge with cold beverages and bracing for those 40-degree days. We are all concerned with keeping ourselves cool, but we tend to ignore the workhorse of the house, the electrical system.

During a heatwave, your electrical system is stretched to the limit. Actually, it is extremely hot, which results in a “peak season” of electrical failures since it boosts demand in high temperatures, and at the same time, it makes the wires and components that supply power to your house more prone to failure.

At Shuttle Electrics, we believe that understanding how your home handles heat is the first step towards a safe, comfortable summer. This blog states the reasons electrical failures occur and what you can do to save your property against the dangers of a heatwave in Melbourne.

How Extreme Heat Strains Your Home’s Power

The additional weight of the AC is not the only problem because there is a complicated scientific interaction of heat and electricity that threatens your home.

• Increased Electrical Resistance

Physics is against your wiring when the ambient temperature goes up. High temperatures raise the electrical resistance of copper wires. The more resistance there is, the less efficient the electrical system becomes, and the wires have to produce even more internal heat to transfer an equivalent amount of electricity. This is a vicious circle of overheating outside causing overheating inside.

• Unprecedented Demand: The “Rush Hour” Effect

Air conditioners and refrigerators have no option but to overwork during a heatwave in order to fight the outside heat. Electrical “rush hour” is achieved when several energy-gobbling devices are operating at the same time, such as the AC, the pool pump and the fridge. Such demand may even result in a total crash of the system in case the infrastructure at your home is not ready to handle the load.

• The “3rd-Day Effect” and Accumulated Building Heat

Have you ever been surprised to find that power cuts and electric failures are usually at their highest point on the third or fourth day of a heatwave? This is referred to as the “third day effect”. Thermal energy is stored in buildings and electric elements for a few days. At some point, they break down and fail to cool the heat efficiently, after which they fail, although the temperature has not risen since the previous day.

4 Common Electrical Problems During a Heatwave

Being able to detect the symptoms of a failing electrical system can help one avoid a little inconvenience from becoming a big emergency.

1. Frequently Tripped Circuit Breakers: When your power goes off as the AC comes on, it is not just annoying, but it is a warning to tell you that the demand has surpassed the capacity of the circuit.
2. Power Surges and Grid Stress: Peak demand across Melbourne may result in local grid instability or “load shedding”. It is in this case that power will be deliberately terminated by the authorities to avoid complete gridlock.
3. Overheating Components: Your attic may turn into an oven in summer, and the temperature is frequently 30°F to 50°F higher than the outside air. In such hot places, the plastic enveloping your wiring will melt and break away.
4. Appliance Malfunction: Unstable voltages due to a problematic grid can damage delicate electronics as well as dramatically reduce the lifespan of your costly HVAC units.

Warning Signs Your System is Struggling

Keep an eye (and an ear) out for these red flags in your home:

• Flickering or Dimming Lights: This is a common sign that your electrical system is unable to provide enough consistent power to everything.
• Buzzing or Sizzling Sounds: Thermal expansion of the heat may lead to the connections loosening. Arcing is a significant risk of fire, and a buzzing noise is often an indication of this.
• Warm Outlet Covers: It is important to ensure that no outlet or switch is hot to the touch. When they do, it is an indication of a major internal issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible by a professional.
• Burning Odours: A characteristic “electrical” or plastic-burning odour is a certain indication of hot insulation. 

How to Protect Your Melbourne Home

Prevention is always more cost-effective than emergency repairs. Here is how you can safeguard your home before the next temperature spike.

• Smart Load Management

Do not use all your heavy appliances at once. Attempt to plan your dishwasher and washing machine to run either early morning or late evening, but not during the peak time of 2 PM to 7 PM.

• Upgrade Your Switchboard

A large number of older houses in Melbourne have very old switchboards that did not even envisage the modern air conditioning installation Melbourne loads. A switchboard upgrade Melbourne can be used to ascertain that your home is up to contemporary standards of Australian safety and capable of coping with the high pull of modern climate controls.

• Pro Tip: When considering a switchboard upgrade Melbourne, make sure to call the professionals at Shuttle Electrics and make sure that your house is future-proofed.

• Whole-House Surge Protection

Do not use power strips only. Whole-house surge protection protects your expensive electronics from the voltage surge often associated with outages during heat waves and grid volatility.

• Maintain Your Aircon

When an AC unit is in good condition, it is more efficient in its operation and consumes less current, which means that it lowers the total load on your electrical system. If you are looking for a new, energy-efficient air conditioning installation Melbourne, we can help you choose and install the right system for your space.

Why a Professional Inspection is Essential

By the time the summer season arrives, a licensed A-grade electrician can perform a professional examination and thus detect any risk that is not obvious to the naked eye. We can also use such tools as thermal imaging to locate loose connections or damaged wiring before it causes a fire or a complete power outage.

At Shuttle Electrics, we guarantee that your premises will be well within the Australian safety standards, and this will give you comfort as a family residing in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne.

Conclusion

Do not wait until the next 40-degree day to discover that your electrical system cannot provide heat. Whether you need a switchboard upgrade Melbourne, a new air conditioning installation Melbourne, or a comprehensive safety inspection, the team at Shuttle Electrics is here to help.

We have licensed A-grade electricians who specialise in maintaining and performing emergency repairs in the eastern parts of Melbourne.

Protect your home today. Contact us for a safety inspection or a quote before summer hits its peak.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Why does my power trip only when it’s hot?

This is normally a result of a so-called “overloading” due to high use of air conditioning, coupled with the fact that the heat increases the electrical resistance of your wiring naturally.

Q. Can a heatwave cause an electrical fire?

Yes. Severe temperatures increase already existing conditions with broken wiring, loose connections, overloaded circuits, and ignition.

Q. What should I do if I smell burning near my electrical panel?

Please promptly switch off the main power and contact an emergency electrician. Please refrain from investigating the panel yourself.

Q. Can a heatwave damage my refrigerator or freezer?

Yes. High temperatures cause the compressor to work nearly continuously. In case of fluctuation in the voltage due to overloading the grid, the motor may overheat or break down prematurely.

Q. What is the “3rd-day effect” in a heatwave? 

During a heatwave, electrical failures are usually at their peak during the third or fourth day. This is due to the fact that a building and its electrical system absorb and store heat over a few days, which later on reaches a point of breaking and cannot dissipate heat well.