In winter, we crank the heat up, and most of the power supply goes toward home electronics as we take shelter indoors and turn to our devices for entertainment. Lights also run longer and more often as the days get darker.

In summer, everything changes. Heat switches to AC, people enjoy the sunlight, and homeowners steer power toward water sprinklers, pools, and backyard patio lighting. Consider these five ways to prepare your home electrical system for the summer transition.

1. Undergo a Safety Inspection

Conducting a safety inspection of your electrical systems allows you to see if your house’s power supply survived the demands of winter while sustaining minimal wear and tear. Electrician companies conduct inspections that look over your wiring—checking for frayed and damaged wires—in your electrical panels, electric meters, and ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI).

2. Clean and Test Run Your AC and Fans

After a couple of months of being on hiatus, your AC and fans need to ease back into action. It’s like retraining and warming up your muscles after taking a long break from a sport or hobby.

Before you put your cooling systems back to work, give them a dust down and a short test run to warm them up and prep them for when summer arrives. This measure helps you avoid forcing your equipment to switch from one extreme to another. The practice run reduces the risks of overdriving your systems and causing them to malfunction when you need them most.

3. Invest in Outdoor Wire Covers

Summer’s warm weather forecasts entice all the critters out to your backyard to relish the sunshine. Although adorable and one of the many attractive qualities of summer, wildlife puts your wires at risk. Squirrels and many other rodents love to nibble through wires.

Protect your outdoor wiring with wire covers. The hard shell of the covers makes it hard for animals to get through to your wires. Outdoor wire covers also provide added protection against the elements, sheltering your wires from rain and debris.

4. Cut Back Your Appliances

Summer heat feels great after a long winter. However, too much of it causes multiple issues. Many devices and electronics generate a lot of heat on their own. When electronic heat waste pairs with summer temperatures, appliances can overheat and shut down.

Minimizing the number of appliances you plug in keeps indoor temperatures at a reasonable level. It prevents you from adding unnecessary heat into your space and makes sure the devices and appliances you do need can operate without it shutting down. Cutting back your plugged-in devices also reduces the demand on your power supply, preventing it from overworking and overheating itself.

5. Install Grounds Fault Circuit Interrupters

Any new and large additions to your home that use a lot of power—pools, jacuzzis, bouncy castles, outdoor theaters—require grounding. Ground fault circuit interrupters monitor currents flowing through a circuit. If they detect any large upsurges or anomalies, they shut down power access. This measure keeps you and your belongings safe from power surges. Install GFCIs when implementing any new additions during summer that use excessive amounts of power.

Prepare your home electrical system for summer with these five tips and the assistance of Allegiance Service Group.We’ll help you get ready for summer with our electrician services and make sure your home’s electrical work is ready for the summer surge.