What is a Ground Wire & Why Is It Important

Ground Wire Services in Philadelphia, PA

What Is a Ground Wire & Why Is It Important?

Our team at BG Electric Service LLC has been a core part of the Philadelphia, PA community for many years. Whether you have electrical questions, electrical issues, or renovation service needs, our licensed and experienced electricians can provide you with the best services in the area. We provide our neighbors with comprehensive electrical services and information. If you are in need of any of these reliable and essential services, call our team today to set up an appointment.

Ground Wires: A Necessary Fail-Safe

The power that we have as humans to harness electricity as a reliable energy source is an incredible one. Since the first discovery of this and now, we have grown and improved this ability. Electricity is an incredibly dangerous source when improperly used, which is why electrical engineers have several levels of built-in fail-safe to protect people from the deadly effects of electricity. These fail-safes are crucial for protecting you and your property from electrical surges or fires that happen in the grid. One of these fail-safes is a ground wire. These have been a requirement in most properties, especially residential ones, since the 1960s.

What Is a Ground Wire?

A ground wire is a brilliant way to guide and direct excess electricity to the earth to protect people and property from the dangers of excess electric surges or shocks. Electricity is very predictable, which allows electricians and engineers to properly guide it to homes and businesses. Positively charged energy will always find the quickest way to the negatively charged ground. The electrical grid that properties rely on for energy use this same idea to guide electricity into the different buildings and structures. These grids can often experience excess energy, or surges and arcs. Surges and arcs will look for a new way to the ground. Ground wires attract this excess energy and provide a safe and effective path to the earth. 

What Are the Different Types of Ground Wires?

The design of the ground wire is simple, so all ground wires are made out of similar materials and in similar designs. There are some differences that can be harnessed to perfectly match and satisfy the needs of the electrical grid that they are grounding. Nearly all ground wires are made from conductive copper wire and wrapped in green and yellow plastic. This universal design helps for easy identification of the ground wire. Some of the different ground wires include:

• Green 6 THHN – This ground wire is protected from the elements and is most often used in outdoor electrical outlets.
• Bare Copper – Bare copper ground wires are the most common ground wire used in residential homes. It is simply copper wire, without any insulation. This makes for a very effective conductor.
• Gauged Copper – Gauged copper is a more customizable copper wire as it comes in several different sizes. The size of the ground wire will account for the surge size it can direct. The bigger the wire, the bigger of a surge it can handle. 

Is the Ground Wire Really That Important?

While most homes do have a ground wire system in place, homes that were built before 1960 that haven’t undergone renovation may not have a ground wire. While the average homeowner can’t tell if their ground wire is broken or missing, ground wires are still crucial to a homeowner’s safety. The ground wire isn’t the only fail-safe preventing dangerous surges or shocks of electricity. Circuit breakers can also help to deter and redirect these surges, but a ground wire is a crucial fail-safe to have in place. It’s important to have as many fail-safe options as possible.

Without a ground wire, you run the risk of a sudden hazard occurring. Electricity surges are much more common than one might think. They can happen as often as several times a day. These surges that can’t find their way to the ground will often travel through appliances in the home. This is a major cause of house fires. Additionally, if there is a surge waiting in an ungrounded plug, and someone tries to plug something in or touch the outlet, that electrical shock will travel through the human body. This causes severe burns or death.

Why Is Electrical Grounding Important?

Proper electrical grounding is crucial to the safety of your home and your family inside. What happens if ground wire is not connected? Electrical surges, which are very common, can cause property damage, electrical shock, and fire. Ground wire helps to prevent lightning strikes, sudden power outages, short circuits, and electrical surges from causing these damages and hazards to your home.

Worried Your Electrical Grid Isn’t Properly Grounded?

Our team of expert electricians can help install and/or maintain your electrical ground wire. This service is crucial to the safety of your property and family. If you think that your ground wire may be compromised or not performing how it should, please don’t hesitate to call our team at BG Electric Service LLC.

Why Choose BG Electric Service LLC?

Our team at BG Electric Service LLC is dedicated to providing affordable electrical services to our community in Philadelphia, PA. We are passionate about ensuring the safety of our neighbors, which leads us to providing high quality electrical services. Our licensed electricians can provide you with essential ground wire services. We additionally provide comprehensive electrical services including:

• Professional lighting services
• Ceiling fan installation
• Electrical panel services
• Commercial electrical services
• Residential electrical services
• Panel upgrades
• Fixture installation
• Generators

Learn More About Ground Wires

You can contact us today to schedule an appointment for emergency electrical services in Philadelphia, PA. Experience the BG Electric Service LLC difference today.