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Flooding Can Wipe Out Your Electrical System

After a largely nonexistent winter, the spring storm season is upon us. Mid-Maryland homes and businesses have seen some devastating floods in recent years. Downtown and other parts of Frederick have flooded several times, and Ellicott City saw devastating floods two years in a row in 2017 and 2018.

Unfortunately, most electrical components that have been underwater for even a brief time need to be replaced. This includes wiring, circuit breaker panels, and fuse boxes, also receptacles, switches, and light fixtures. Once mineral deposits and resultant corrosion get a foothold, the damage keeps on going. Corroded electrical equipment can present a significant fire hazard.

Before you enter a flooded business or home, have a licensed electrician and utility personnel check to make sure the building is safe from shock and electrocution risks. This could also involve removing the electric meter or circuit breaker panel. Although you may be comfortable replacing receptacles, switches, and lights, these are only part of a larger project after a flood. The serving electric utility’s further assistance is also often needed. The utilities will disconnect power in an emergency, but they generally require an electrical permit and an inspection to reconnect power to a building. Safety always must come first.

Frequently, recovering from a flood includes replacing drywall, sheetrock, ceiling tiles, insulation, and flooring, in addition to the electrical infrastructure. Remember, it’s easier to rewire a building or a home when walls and ceilings are open. Gutting and rebuilding also gives you the opportunity to add more needed receptacles and put them in new locations, for example higher on the walls, above the 100-year flood level. This way you can cut down on future repairs, as we’ve seen our fair share of “100-year” weather events. Higher receptacles are also handy for setting up charging stations for all of your employees’ devices. We can install receptacles that include USB ports for device chargers.

Replacing receptacles and switches can also allow you to upgrade to more sophisticated technology that can be controlled anywhere with a tablet or smartphone. Don’t forget energy-saving occupancy sensors and timers. Several platforms and systems are currently available.

It might also be a good time to consider installing a permanent standby or backup generator to protect against power outages.

But it all starts with a phone call to a qualified, licensed electrician and Generac factory-certified generator technician. Little Sparkie Electric stands ready to help in spite of the Coronavirus. We’ll take all necessary precautions to keep you, your employees, and your family safe, while we help make your home or workplace safe.

NFPA urges home fire safety caution amid pandemic

As the public largely remains at home in response to COVID-19, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) urges added caution around home fire safety in the days and weeks ahead.

According to NFPA, cooking, heating, and electrical equipment are among the leading causes of home fires year-round. “We already see the majority of fires happening in homes,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA. “As people spend much more time at home and engage in activities that significantly contribute to the home fire problem, it’s critical that they recognize where potential hazards exist and what they can do to prevent fires.”

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and is responsible for nearly half (49 percent) of all reported home fires involving cooking equipment.

Moreover, unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires, meaning that home cooking fires occur most often when people aren’t keeping a close eye on what they’re cooking.

“As many households are now dealing with unusual routines and out-of-the-ordinary circumstances, such as kids home from school and parents working from home, there’s greater potential for distracted cooking,” said Carli.

NFPA statistic show that heating equipment is the second-leading cause of home fires, resulting in an average of 52,050 home fires each year. Electrical distribution or lighting equipment is involved in an annual average of 35,100 home fires.

With everyone at home, people may be using the same outlets to charge phones, laptops and other digital equipment, which also presents a fire hazard.

With these concerns in mind, NFPA reminds the public to use best practices for staying fire-safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond:

Cooking

Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.

Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.

Make sure all handles are turned inward, away from where someone can grab a hot handle or tip a pan over.

Be on alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, refrain from using the stove or stovetop.

If you have young children in your home, create a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet (1 meter) around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

Heating

Keep anything that can burn at least three-feet (one meter) away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.

Have a three-foot (one meter) “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.

Never use your oven to heat your home.

Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.

Install and maintain carbon monoxide (CO) alarms to avoid the risk of CO poisoning. If you smell gas in your gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave the home immediately and call your local fire department or gas company.

Electrical

When charging smartphones and other digital devices, only use the charging cord that came with the device.

Do not charge a device under your pillow, on your bed or on a couch.

Only use one heat-producing appliance (such as a coffee maker, toaster, space heater, etc.) plugged into a receptacle outlet at a time.

Major appliances (refrigerators, dryers, washers, stoves, air conditioners, microwave ovens, etc.) should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. Extension cords and plug strips should not be used.

Check electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways or under carpets. Extension cords are intended for temporary use.

Use a light bulb with the right number of watts. There should be a sticker that indicates the right number of watts.

In addition, smoke alarms should be located on every level of the home, in each bedroom, and near all sleeping areas. Test them monthly to make sure they’re working. NFPA also strongly encourages households develop and practice a home escape plan to ensure that everyone knows what to do in a fire and can escape quickly and safely.

(To this NFPA article we also would add that you should have one or two fire extinguishers in your home.)

For a wealth of NFPA resources and information on home fire safety, visit www.nfpa.org/Public-Education.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global self-funded nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards.. For more information, visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.

Don’t forget lighting when selling your home!

Hiring an electrician may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re planning to sell your home. But as Redfin’s Ryan Smith notes in this article, you don’t want rooms that are poorly lit or lights that don’t work!

Trying to sell a poorly lit home

“You want to show your home in the best light, so take the time to really gauge the quality of your lighting by closing your curtains/blinds and looking at each room as though you’re a potential homebuyer. Make a note of any rooms that are poorly lit or just seem dark and then call an electrician so that you can have some additional lighting installed.

“Even worse than a poorly lit room, however, is when the lights don’t work at all. Sometimes the light bulb is just burnt out, while other times the socket itself is in need of repair. Consider calling an electrician before you begin showing your home to make sure it’s shining its brightest like the one above. Potential buyers (and your bank account) will thank you for the investment.”

Read Ryan’s full article here.

Best wishes for a safe and happy 2020!

As we march into a new decade, we want to thank our many customers for making the past year another successful business year for Little Sparkie Electric!

This month we celebrate our 13th year in business! We defied the odds when we started our business in January of 2007, in the early days of what would come to be known as “the Great Recession.”

Our first paying job came just two days after we opened our doors, and our business has been growing steadily ever since!

Keeping business busy by servicing generators

One of the ways we’ve grown our business is by expanding our Generac Generator sales and services for commercial businesses and residences.

If you haven’t already done so, it’s good to get your generator professionally serviced before the ice storms hit! Many people don’t realize that a generator is like an engine, and servicing it is no project for a DIYer!

After servicing generators for 13 years, and training novice technicians, we know what to look for as well as what to listen for.

Although we have all of the sophisticated testing equipment, experience plays a major role in tracking down problems and coming up with solutions!

Read about our 10th anniversary post here!

Don’t let your holiday sparkle fizzle

With the holidays fast approaching, homeowners and businesses will be decking the halls; often with strings of lights and lighted decorations. Those lights are glittering and cheerful, but they can also cause hazards if they’re plugged into extension cords!

Before you untangle all of those light strings, consider that approximately 3,300 home fires originate in extension cords each year, killing 50 people and injuring 270 more, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).

That’s because extension cords can overheat and cause fires when they’re used improperly. Keep these important tips from the ESFI and Little Sparkie Electric in mind to protect your home and workplace.

Don’t plug extension cords into one another.
Make sure extension cords are properly rated for their intended use, indoor or outdoor, and meet or exceed the power needs of the device being used.
Keep all outdoor extension cords clear of snow and standing water.
If used outdoors, cords should be GFCI-protected, either by plugging them into a GFCI-protected receptacle or by having GFCI protection themselves.
Do not overload extension cords. A circuit overload SHOULD trip the breaker or blow the fuse, but it isn’t guaranteed. If the breaker or fuse is rated higher than the circuit wiring, the circuit may not open in an overload.
Inspect cords for damage before you use them. Check for cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections. A break in a hot wire will not trip a standard circuit breaker or blow a fuse, and is thus a fire hazard.
This should be obvious, but do NOT nail or staple extension cords to walls or baseboards.
Do NOT run extension cords through walls, doorways, ceilings, or floors. If a cord is covered, heat can’t escape, which may result in a fire hazard.
Never use three-prong plugs with outlets that only have two slots. Again, this should be obvious, but never cut off the ground pin to force a fit, which could lead to electric shock.
Buy only cords that have been approved by an independent testing laboratory.
Do NOT use an extension cord or power strip with heaters or fans, which could cause cords to overheat and result in a fire.

Remember that extension cords should only be used on a temporary basis. They’re not intended as permanent household wiring, so put them away when the holiday decorations come down!

If you need additional outlets, always have a licensed electrician install them. This isn’t the time to be a DIYer!

Fall into these home safety tips

The days are noticeably shorter, and we’re seeing cool, crisp weather. Along with the colorful foliage and cooler season, it’s good to check your home to make sure it’s ready for winter.

Here are some smart fall safety tips to make now according to the safety experts at Underwriters Laboratories* and Safebee.

Before you turn your furnace on, check around it to make sure there’s nothing flammable near it. It’s also a good idea to have your furnace inspected before winter. If you can, inspect it yourself to make sure the flame is blue, not yellow or orange which indicates possible contamination or clogging of the fuel inlet. Check the pipe from the furnace to the chimney to be sure it doesn’t have rust spots and isn’t disconnected at either end. If you have radiators, remove anything that’s sitting on top of them before the heat comes on.

Dress kids in light-colored clothing to help drivers see them on their way home from after-school activities. On Halloween, make sure your kids can be seen. Give them a flashlight and glowstick, and if their costume is dark, add some reflective stickers or tape. High-visibility vests with reflective tape are also a good idea.

Change smoke detector batteries when you set your clocks back. Smoke alarms most often fail to sound an alarm because of missing, dead or disconnected batteries. Replace the batteries twice a year when you change the clocks (or whenever the alarm “chirps,” indicating the battery is getting low). Also change the batteries in your CO detectors.

Remember also the Maryland state law, which may also be law in other states, that when you replace a smoke alarm you must replace it with a 10-year, sealed-battery type alarm. Combination smoke/CO alarms are also available, as are wireless devices that communicate with each other. These are useful if you have a combustion-type heat source, such as a propane heater. Check with your local fire department for further details.

Another fall safety tip is to practice your family fire escape plan before the weather gets too cold. Every family should have one, but just one in three American households do, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Having the plan is important, but it’s just as critical to practice it by conducting a home fire drill at least twice a year. Frightened kids may be tempted to hide under the bed or in a closet during a fire unless you teach them exactly how to escape.

Use space heaters safely. Remember to keep combustibles “three feet from the heat” or “a meter from the heater.” If you’re using a fuel-powered heater, open a door or window slightly to allow fresh air to circulate. Remember to turn off your heater when you leave the house and before you go to bed.

Diathermic oil-filled radiator-type space heaters pose less of a fire threat than those with open elements, but care should still be taken when using them.

Add motion sensor outdoor lighting around dark areas. Lighting discourages intruders and protects against falls. Motion sensor lights are most important around doors and near steps.

Clean leaves out of your gutters every week in the fall. When you do, make sure you’re using the right ladder for the job and using it properly. More than 90,000 people get emergency room treatment for ladder-related injuries every year. If the gutters are hard to reach, install a leaf guard to keep most of the leaves out.

Be sure to test your step on a ladder before you commit your weight to it. Don’t reach out past where it is comfortable or let go with both hands, and be sure the ladder is set on a firm and level surface.

Have your chimney inspected before you use your fireplace. If you use it every year, have the chimney cleaned annually to prevent a fire. If your chimney needs repair, don’t try to do it yourself; this is a job for a professional.

Additionally, the Electrical Safety Foundation International recommends that you use only weatherproof electrical devices for outside activities. Protect outdoor electrical devices from moisture. Also, with the wet summer we had, make sure electrical equipment that has been wet is inspected and reconditioned by a certified repair dealer.

*Underwriters Laboratories, an organization that has been around for more than 100 years, is a world leader in product safety testing and certification. https://www.ul.com/

Get ALL of your Technology Working Together!

Homes and businesses today rely on integrating technology, including phones, TVs, data cabling, and electrical wiring. In spite of what you may read online, a certified electrician is the best person to design and install a comprehensive system that will meet all of your needs.

We can step in upfront to assist with the initial design for your business, a tenant build-out, or your home. We can also fit a wiring system into an existing home or business.

An interesting recent project we did for a telescope observatory in Mt. Airy included running a 30-amp feeder out to a subpanel that we installed in the observatory and installing receptacle circuits in the dome according to the builder’s requirements. We also installed a second conduit for a Cat5e data communications wiring and installed jacks in the dome for the computer hookup.

“When I managed the Regus Business Center in Frederick I had a customer that needed a remote TV set-up with special electrical connections in his office.

“I immediately recommended Little Sparkie Electric because I needed someone I could trust. It was a complex job that also required making connections to electrical boxes in other parts of the building and coordinating with the building manager.

“Catherine knew what she was doing – I didn’t have to worry about anything – she did a wonderful job for my client.”

— Jean Wright, former General Manager, Regus Business Centers

Our services include:

New construction, tenant fit-outs, remodeling, additions, basement finishing, bathrooms, kitchens – you name it!
Troubleshooting and repairs
Air conditioning/appliance circuits
Additional receptacles
Backup generators – installation, maintenance, and repair
Baseboard heaters
Basement wiring
Bathroom exhaust fans
Boiler circuits
Breaker replacements
Ceiling fans
Home theater systems
Move existing telephone jacks
Install new telephone or data jacks
Assist with television cabling services, such as cable TV or satellite service
Electric vehicle chargers
GFCI outlet replacement
Indoor residential and commercial lighting
Occupancy and motion sensors/lighting controls
Outdoor residential, commercial and parking lot lighting
See more

Let us know if we can assist you with any of your home or commercial electrical projects! [email protected] or 301-606-5181.

Consider these lighting options to enhance your summer evenings

As twilight approaches and the air cools, it can be delightful to enjoy the outdoors on a beautifully lit outdoor patio and deck. But it’s important to get your lighting done right – not too bright – but enough to move about safely and enjoy your landscaping and/or guests.

The trick to getting a well-lit outdoor patio or deck is directing the light just where needed. Overhead lighting options can include sturdy string lights, lanterns, candles and torches, landscape lighting and fire pits! Don’t forget dimmers to control the brightness of electric lighting.

Lowes recommends that you have a game plan for your lighting, and Little Sparkie Electric can help you create your plan. For a smaller area, you may want to create an intimate setting by grouping lanterns and candles. You can also add landscape lights to the patio perimeter and any pathways from the patio to the house.

If your yard gets direct sunlight, we may recommend solar landscape lights. Low-voltage or LED lights are other options. Deck and stair lights also add ground lights while adding extra safety.

If you have a larger space, you can use lighting to define the different areas. Outdoor string lights work great draped from a pergola or gazebo and create a fun party atmosphere. A fire pit provides warmth on a chilly night and a secondary place to gather. Use spotlights or floodlights to illuminate trees and shrubs, and to put the finishing touches on your outdoor retreat.

Hire a licensed electrician

No matter which option you choose, be sure to hire a licensed, experienced electrician for the job. Here’s why:

• To check that your outdoor connections are safe and secure. You also may need to add additional outdoor receptacles or a dedicated circuit to your electrical panel, which should definitely be done by a licensed electrician.

• To ensure proper installation that won’t overload the circuits of your home or business.

• An electrician can recommend the most cost-efficient options.

If you’re ready to install landscape lighting and would like help from an electrician, contact us to discuss some options or call 301-606- 5181.

Lightning, wind – even tornadoes – all are reasons you need a generator!

It’s early June, but we’ve already seen our share of summer storms – even a tornado!

With storms come power outages for homes and businesses. Think melted ice cream and downed computer systems, to mention a few of the inconveniences and lost business that can result!

Power outages often last for hours, – even days – and they can be costly if you’re not prepared. But it’s not just stormy weather that can turn the power off. Curious critters, vehicle accidents, human error and utility failures also can trigger blackouts.

That’s why many of our commercial, industrial and residential customers have purchased automatic standby and portable generators from Little Sparkie Electric.

Standby generators start automatically when the power goes out, and run chiefly on propane or natural gas. Some units, usually commercial or industrial generators, run on diesel, and some are set up for more than one type of fuel. Portable generators typically run on gasoline and need to be operated at a safe distance from any structure.

It’s helpful to research generators before you urgently need one, so here are some thoughts, courtesy of Lowes:

Homes

Power essential appliances and lights
Power occasional protection devices such as a sump pump
Power an entire home or most of a home
Provide backup power for short-term or occasional outages
Provide long-term backup power where weather systems can disrupt power for days or weeks, sometimes several times a year
Provide backup power for individuals who may have difficulty handling and operating a portable generator

Businesses

Power essential computers, networks and phones
Power an entire business
Provide temporary jobsite electricity for tools and lights
Provide backup power for refrigeration and security systems
Provide backup power for short-term or occasional outages

Little Sparkie Electric both installs and services Generac generators, including large commercial generators that have a rating up to 150 kW. Catherine Nazarene, Managing Member, is a Generac factory trained Commercial Level II Certified technician. Additionally, we install and wire manual transfer switches for portable generators.

If you’re interested in a generator for your home or business, call us at 301-606-5181 or email [email protected].

Receptacles shouldn’t become loose

Many people like the convenience of leaving appliances plugged in. We don’t unplug everything at our house either.

Anything with a power supply (computers and cell phone chargers are two examples) does draw a small amount of current even when the equipment is turned off, and these small draws can add up with more appliances and over time.

If a receptacle is backwired using its spring clamps, then plugging and unplugging appliances can loosen the contacts over time. When we install or replace receptacles, we don’t use spring clamps – we use the device’s screw terminals, and for this exact reason.

If the receptacle is wired properly, using the screw terminals with contact pads and/or looped wire ends, contact loosening will not happen provided the terminals are properly torqued and that the material in contact with the screw terminals is copper. Copper, like all metals, warms up when current is passed through it and expands slightly under normal use, but when the current is removed, the copper cools and the metal contracts to return to its original shape.

If the receptacle itself is loose in the wall, most likely the box is set back too far and/or the drywall hole is cut too large, and shims may be needed to hold the device firmly against its box. If the box is loose because it was improperly installed, it should be remounted or replaced.

If a receptacle has been painted over, paint can weaken the plastic face of the device. A properly wired, installed, and properly protected receptacle will not fall apart absent a manufacturing defect (fortunately these are rare).

Over time, the recessed spring steel blade contacts that hold a plug can lose their grip and the plug will feel loose. This wear is normal, and means it’s time to replace the receptacle. We usually see receptacle blade contacts start to feel looser after some 15 to 25 years. This is an average based on observation, and several factors are at play in how long a receptacle will properly hold a plug.

An alternative to plugging and unplugging cords is to use an outlet strip, which can be turned off when connected appliances are not in use, and which also provides some measure of surge protection. Please bear in mind though that an outlet strip does not increase the capacity of a circuit, it simply means more things can be plugged into it. But you can turn the strip’s switch on and off without disturbing the receptacle the strip is plugged into.

We are always happy to answer questions. Safety comes first in our business.

Little Sparkie Electric, LLC