When of the best things about summertime in full swing is that it’s a great time to enjoy the outdoor areas of your home. Whether that’s your deck, porch or lawn, it’s tough to beat spending time outside.
If you do find yourself spending more time outdoors, you might also find that you need access to more electricity. Instead of searching around your home to find a bunch of extension cords that you plug together in one long extension cord chain (we’ve all been there), an outdoor outlet is a much better solution.
Many people have questions about outdoor outlets, the most common one is: are they safe?
We decided to clear up any misconceptions or concerns about electrical outlets so that you can make the most out of your outdoor space.
What Outdoor Outlets Can Be Used For
Before we get to the safety stuff, let’s go over what outdoor outlets can be used for. The short answer is… anything! Some of the common things that people use outdoor outlets for include:
- Electrical lawn devices like electric mowers, weed trimmers and blowers
- Outdoor string lighting or other lighting solutions
- Sound systems
- Appliances for outdoor kitchens such as hotplates and blenders (did someone say margarita time?!)
- Fans to offer a nice breeze
- Video monitors if you have young children asleep inside
- Projectors or computers if you have an outdoor movie setup
- Literally anything else that requires electricity!
Still, some people are wary of using outdoor outlets because they fear electric shock or overloading the system. As with any outlet, outdoor outlets are really as safe as the person using them.
Besides, outdoor outlets are usually equipped with some extra safety measures. You’ll find that most have a heavy, spring loaded cover that prevent rain, dust and dirt from reaching them. Also, outdoor outlets are often ground fault circuit interrupters or GFCI. GFCI outlets use a sensor that detects changes in electrical current and stop the power supply if necessary.
If you live in an older house and do not have an outdoor outlet and are plugging six power cords in just to have electricity outside, or if your outdoor outlet is not GFCI, then no wonder you have concerns! Thankfully there is an easy solution. Pick up your phone and call BPM Electric. We are happy to come in and install a safe, simple outdoor outlet so that you can fully enjoy your home’s outdoor space.
So take advantage of the beautiful weather to the fullest. Blend up a pina colada, blast some music, use all the power tools you need. All you need is a safe and up-to-date electrical outlet.
At BPM Electric, we are happy to help you make the most of the outdoors outlets. Oh, and you can use it in the winter too! (But let’s not dwell on that quite yet.)
