Electricity and wetness can be very hazardous when they get in contact.
However, not every time will you get electrocuted after touching an electric appliance with wet hands.
Taking full precaution when handling anything that uses or facilitates electricity supply is always good.
In this regard, Can You Touch A Light Switch With Wet Hands?
You can touch a light switch with wet hands, but don’t keep your hand on the switch for that long. While it had always been discouraged to touch a switch with wet hands, the purported electrocution danger can only happen under certain circumstances, not just because you placed your wet hand on the switch to turn lights on or off.
It is advisable to first dry your hands before touching switches. This is just to encourage individuals to practice electrical safety precautions.
This post will cover why you may get an electric shock by touching a switch.
Five Reasons Why You Might Get An Electric Shock From A Light Switch
A light switch is a basic switch in every home and can be operated by literally anyone.
This is why it is important to ensure all switches are in the right operational state every time.
If you have experienced shock from your light switch, these could be the possible causes of the shock.
1. Excess Water On Hands
Water is a good conductor of electricity. When the two get in contact, electricity flows and can electrocute any person that gets in touch with the water.
Touching a light switch in good condition with wet hands may not be harmful in the first place.
See Also: Why Is It Dangerous To Touch Electrical Appliances With Wet Hands?
Most light switches have plastic covers with all the screws covered.
This means there are minimal to no chances of electricity passing through the plastic covers because plastic is a non-conductor.
However, if you have a lot of water that can flow through the small socket space to the terminals, you will get shocked or electrocuted.
While this is not so easy, when it happens, it can cause significant harm to you and the people around you.
To avoid such dangers, it is important to always dry your hands before touching a light socket.
Do not give much consideration to the point that plastic will not conduct electricity, making it normal to touch the light switch with wet hands.
One day, you will meet unexpected electrocution after touching the switch with water on your hands.
If the switch cover is metallic, avoid touching it with wet hands because you will get a shock every time you do it. Most metals are good conductors of electricity, and you may not know when it is leaking through the metallic frame.
2. Ungrounded Switches
It is very important to have all switches grounded in accordance with the National Electrical code. Skipping this essential step can seriously jeopardize your safety.
One common reason why you will get a shock from a switch is if it is ungrounded. Grounding also serves as protection against electrocution in case of numerous lightning and
Even after proper grounding is done, measures to prevent current leakages should be put in place to enhance safety. Otherwise, any leakages should be a cause for concern.
3. Poor House Wiring
This will be not only generate shock through the switch, but through all other outlets in your home.
When building a house or doing wiring in your existing house, it is important to hire a qualified and certified electrician to complete the work.
Also, ensure you buy all the necessary equipment and tools to facilitate effective work completion. This is to avoid faulty house wiring.
One sign that the house wiring is numerous shocks at the switch.
Remember, the light switch is the most used switch in most homes, and it is easy to know in case of problems around the switch.
If there is leakage around the switch, it will affect most people in your household because many people can easily access it.
Keep in mind that poor wiring can lead to severe risks and huge losses.
When you notice power leakages, light flickering, smoke, or a burning smell near the switch, call in an electrician to examine the wiring system and fix the cause of such shortages to curb related risks.
4. Metallic Switch Box
Even though most switch boxes are made of plastic, it is possible to find metallic boxes.
If you touch a faulty metallic switch box, you will likely suffer from electric shock. The situation can get worse if you touch the switch with wet hands.
If you must use metal switch boxes, ensure they are properly grounded.
Grounding helps ensure the live power gets redirected to the ground, leaving the socket safe.
With poor or no grounding for metallic electric covers, the chances of shock will be very high, and you may need to change such boxes.
Remember, ceramic and plastic covers are non-conductors and have lower risks in terms of shock as long as they are correctly installed.
5. Faulty Switches
While identifying faulty switches may seem simple, this is not always the case.
Sometimes it can be pretty tricky to identify a defective switch just by looking at it until you feel current flowing to your body when you touch it.
The faulty condition of a switch also concerns the looseness of the wires connecting to the switch.
Even if just one of the wires is loose or in bad condition, you will experience shock when switching lights.
This can also cause electrical shock and also contribute to current flow shortages.
To be safe, ensure you employ a qualified technician to install the switches correctly.
Purchasing quality switches can also be an added tip to ensuring you are safe with all home switches.
In case you identify any faulty switch, make sure you replace it correctly.
Conclusion
It is essential to consider all electricity codes when installing electricity and other electrical appliances on your premises.
It is common knowledge that touching electricity with water is highly risky, even though these risks will not always arise.
To avoid working on perceived worries and errors, always dry your hands before touching a light switch.
Also, ensure that the switch is well maintained and checked regularly to confirm that it is in good condition.