According to statistics released in May 2024 from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as part of National Electrical Safety Month, from 2015–2019, electrical distribution or lighting equipment such as wiring, lighting, cords and plugs was involved in an estimated average of roughly 32,620 reported home structure fires per year. These incidents caused an average of 430 civilian deaths, 1,070 civilian injuries and $1.3 billion in direct property damage annually. 

“Electrical contractors can play a critical role in educating customers, especially first-time homeowners, about common electrical problems in the home,” said Bill Grande, vice president of codes, standards and compliance for Leviton, Melville, N.Y., a provider of electrical wiring devices. He suggested starting by offering a no-cost, no obligation electrical safety inspection, followed by a list of high-priority issues that should be addressed. Topics they could discuss include:

• Surge protection 
• Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) 
• Arc fault circuit interrupters
• Latest in circuit breaker and load center technology 
• Electrical infrastructure for charging electric vehicles
• Recent National Electrical Code changes 
• How to identify signs of potential hazards

“Not only is surge protection important for protecting your home and appliances from electrical risks, but the NEC now requires surge protection devices to be installed in dwelling units,” Grande said.

Surge protection devices should be layered for maximized effect. Inside the electrical panel is the first line of defense, while the use of power strips and receptacles is the last defense against costly electrical damage, especially in rooms with expensive electronics, he said.

Beyond next-gen circuit breakers, electrical contractors can also advise homeowners about other products with safety features, such as smart GFCI outlets, which can send notifications to a customer’s smartphone if the GFCI trips due to a ground fault, providing another layer of safety.

Before installing chargers for EVs, contractors should also check to make sure the site has proper electrical service for it. Additional devices that may be required include surge protectors, submetering solutions and safety disconnect switches. For residential installations that use plug-in chargers, an electrical contractor should ascertain access to a heavy-duty power outlet.

Grande said that existing products haven’t changed in decades, so Leviton introduced the Leviton Load Center in 2018 and the Smart Load Center in 2019. More recently, the company launched the Whole Home Energy Monitor and 2nd-Gen Smart Circuit Breakers with Remote Control, which enable the Load Center to have expanded smart capabilities. These circuit breakers provide an additional safety layer on the line side, not the load side. They also have LED trip indicators that identify whether an arc fault (serial or parallel) or ground fault trip may have occurred.

In addition to products that add safety to the home, Grande also encourages electrical contractors to educate customers “about the signs of potential electrical hazard and how to protect against electrical shock, electrocution, and damage.”