Eric Eggert, Commercial Insurance Account Representative, discusses the importance of circuit breakers or fuses in a residential home or commercial building.
Few devices are more important to the safety of your home or building than circuit breakers or fuses. The basic idea of either is the same: to prevent overloaded circuits that could overheat and cause a fire.
Circuit breakers are more common than fuses these days and are preferred by insurance companies for a number of reasons. They are more compatible with modern electricity needs, they operate more quickly and only need to be re-set after they trip.
This is a huge advantage over fuses as once a fuse blows, it has to be replaced. Furthermore, it’s possible to use an oversized fuse. For example, a 30 amp fuse can fit in a 20 amp circuit, which is a dangerous fire hazard.
To prevent this, Safety Fuses, also known as “S” type fuses can be installed. They screw in and prevent the wrong size fuse from being installed.
If your building’s main panel or a majority of the apartments contain fuses, most if not all of the insurance companies specializing in community association insurance will not provide a quote, which more than likely will result in higher insurance premiums and less comprehensive coverage.
Though it may be costly to upgrade, it will be beneficial in the long run.
