How Proper Grounding Protects Your Home and Family
Grounding?
If you’re like most homeowners in NEPA, you don’t think about electrical grounding every day. Honestly… why would you? You’re busy with work, running the kids around, keeping the house together, and making sure everything is okay.
But grounding is one of those things that quietly protects your home — even when you’re not thinking about it.
Grounding in electrical work is the process of creating a safe path for excess electricity to travel into the earth instead of through your home’s wiring or appliances. It protects you from electrical shock, reduces the risk of fire, and helps your system operate smoothly by keeping voltage levels stable. In homes across Dallas, Shavertown, and the Back Mountain, proper grounding is essential for keeping your electrical system safe and up to modern code.
At Catman Electrical Contracting, we’ve worked inside hundreds of homes across Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Clarks Summit. We’ve seen the difference proper grounding makes, not just in the electrical system, but in the peace of mind families feel.
Why Grounding Matters in NEPA Homes — Especially Older Ones
A lot of homes in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and the Back Mountain were built long before today’s electrical safety standards. It’s common for us to find two-prong outlets, outdated wiring, or entire sections of a home with no grounding at all. These older systems can technically “work,” but they don’t offer the protection modern homes rely on.
And sometimes, when we walk into an older basement in places like Dunmore or Pittston, we find electrical setups that have been running for decades simply because no one realized how close they were to a dangerous failure. Proper grounding isn’t just a code requirement — in NEPA’s older homes, it’s a critical layer of protection that keeps your family and property safe.
Proper Grounding Helps
✔ Prevent life-threatening shocks
You shouldn’t have to think twice when plugging something in. Grounding makes sure electricity doesn’t travel through you.
✔ Reduce fire hazards
Loose wires, surges, and overloaded circuits happen more often in older homes. Grounding keeps those issues from turning into sparks.
✔ Protect your appliances and your budget
Nobody wants to replace a fridge, TV, or computer because of a power surge — especially in today’s prices.
✔ Keep your home code-compliant
If you ever plan to renovate or sell, grounding is a requirement, not an option.
Here are things we see all the time during service calls — things homeowners often ignore until it becomes a bigger problem:
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Lights flickering even when bulbs are new
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Breakers tripping for no reason
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Two-prong outlets still in use
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Small shocks when touching appliances
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Buzzing or warm outlets
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Electronics dying sooner than they should
You might brush these off as “old house problems,” but usually they’re signs your grounding system is outdated or failing.
Signs Your Home May Not Be Properly Grounded
If you’re in an older home in Dallas, Wilkes-Barre, Shavertown, or anywhere in the Back Mountain, certain everyday issues can be signs that your grounding needs attention. Many homeowners call us saying things like, “My lights keep flickering,” or “Why do I get a tiny shock when I touch the dryer?” — and often, the root cause is an outdated or improperly grounded electrical system.
These issues can show up long before a real hazard becomes obvious, especially in older NEPA homes.
Trust Catman With Your NEPA Grounding Needs
If you’re dealing with flickering lights, tripping breakers, or small shocks around your home, it may be more than an annoyance — it could be a grounding issue. Reach out to a professional local electrician to diagnose the problem and repair it safely. Catman Electrical Contracting is here to help homeowners across Dallas, Wilkes-Barre, and the surrounding NEPA areas stay safe and up to code.