Grounding and Bonding  -  Grounding and Bonding within a home is essential for personal safety and maintaining the life of that new shiny precious flat screen TV. Let us look briefly at what grounding is and how it compares to what a neutral is.

In the wiring system of your home you will see that there are actually three wires going to your 120-volt outlet. One wire is the "hot" wire designated with a color other than green or white. One wire is the "neutral" wire that is designated with the color white. The third with is the "ground" designated by the color green. The "hot wire" provides voltage from the circuit breaker to the outlet. The "neutral" wire carries the balance load of the circuit. That means that if the hot-wire draws 5 amps and neutral will also carry 5 amps to complete the circuit. The ground wire carries no load and no voltage. So what is its purpose? Simple, if for some reason the device or appliance decides to short out the ground wire will then carry the load so you do not. It  basically can then tell the circuit breaker to trip before you get zapped or the house catches fire. It is also there to help protect your TV and other appliances from floating voltages and surges. When installed properly at the main service and throughout the home, the grounding and bonding are your best friends. TREAT THEM RIGHT!