What do I need to know about the electrical system in the house?

The cartridge fuses at the main panel are to keep too much power from being drawn into your home at once by all of the appliances that you have in use. The glass screw-in type fuses are to keep too much power from being drawn into the wiring of an individual circuit. One of the problems with electricity is that it generates heat as it passes through the wiring of your house. Different size wires are required to carry different amounts (amperage) of electricity. Most individual circuits in your home are set up carry a maximum load of either 15 or 20 amperes of electricity. If you try to run a microwave oven, a hair dryer and a freezer on one circuit it will probably blow the fuse because you are trying to draw too many amperes of electricity. Some people will install bigger fuses or in extreme cases I have heard of people putting pennies in the fuse hole. These are bad, dangerous, stupid ideas that can possibly result in a house fire. Too many amps in an electrical line will eventually set it on fire. The purpose of fuses and breakers is too kick off the power long before you get anywhere near the danger point. Fuses are generally safe but they are insufficient to handle the power loads generated by the many modern appliances in use today. (Free safety tip: Microwave ovens should have their own electrical circuit.) Before you buy a house with fuses it's a good idea to have an electrician inspect it for you to determine if it's safe. You may also have trouble getting the house insured. Please factor money to upgrade the electrical service into your buying equation. The minimum code requirement in most cities today is at least a 100 amp breaker panel to control the incoming power supply.

Some homes with breakers will have the older style 2 prong outlets. These are safe but again do not meet the needs of the modern day household. Modern electrical wiring systems will have 3 prong outlets everywhere and Ground Fault (GCFI) outlets in any wet areas -- kitchen, bath or outside. The ground fault is a specially designed outlet that kicks off the power to the circuit if it senses power going outside the normal flow. A ground fault outlet is required at the beginning of any wet area circuit. Water is a wonderful conductor of electricity and it will flow outside the normal path (wires) into water if given a chance. In a house without ground faults, it is possible to electrocute someone by dropping a hair dryer in their bath. In a house with properly working GCFI outlets the same act of dropping the hair dryer in the bath should only result in the GCFI kicking off the power to the circuit. Be sure and speak to a local electrician or code enforcement officer before making any change to a home's electrical system. You should always plan enough money in your remodeling budget to install 3 prong outlets and GCFI receptacles as necessary. These items make the house safer and more salable.