Category Archives: Fall safety tips

The Importance of Electrical Inspections Before Hurricane Season

As the summer approaches, so does the potential for severe weather, especially hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, bringing with it the risk of strong winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding. These conditions can pose significant threats to your home’s electrical system, making it crucial to ensure everything is in top shape before the storms hit. Here’s why scheduling a professional electrical inspection before hurricane season is essential.

1. Identifying Vulnerabilities
A thorough electrical inspection can reveal potential vulnerabilities in your system that might not be apparent to the untrained eye. Loose connections, outdated wiring, and faulty components can become major hazards during a hurricane. Identifying and addressing these issues beforehand can prevent electrical fires, power outages, and other dangerous situations when the storm arrives.

2. Ensuring Backup Power Systems are Ready
Many homeowners rely on generators for backup power during hurricanes. An electrical inspection can verify that your generator is correctly installed and in good working condition. This includes checking the transfer switch, fuel supply, and overall functionality to ensure it will perform when you need it most.

3. Preventing Power Surges
Hurricanes often cause power surges that can damage appliances and electronics. An electrician can install or inspect surge protectors to shield your valuable equipment from sudden voltage spikes. This preventative measure can save you from costly replacements and repairs after a storm.

4. Checking Grounding and Bonding
Proper grounding and bonding are critical for electrical safety, especially during a storm. An inspection will ensure that your home’s electrical system is properly grounded, reducing the risk of electric shock and enhancing the overall stability of your electrical system during adverse conditions.

5. Safeguarding Against Flooding
Hurricanes can bring heavy rains and flooding, which can severely impact your electrical system. An inspection can identify areas at risk of water intrusion and recommend solutions, such as elevating electrical panels, outlets, and wiring above potential flood levels. Additionally, installing ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) can protect against electric shock in wet areas.

6. Peace of Mind
Perhaps most importantly, a professional electrical inspection provides peace of mind. Knowing that your home’s electrical system is prepared for hurricane season allows you to focus on other aspects of storm preparation and ensures the safety of your family.

As hurricane season approaches, don’t leave the safety and reliability of your home’s electrical system to chance. Scheduling a professional electrical inspection can identify potential hazards, ensure your backup power systems are ready, prevent damage from power surges, and safeguard against flooding. Taking these proactive steps not only protects your property but also provides invaluable peace of mind as you face the uncertainties of hurricane season.

Fire Prevention Week™ is October 4-10, 2020!

 

This year’s Fire Prevention Week’s campaign theme is “Serve Up Fire Safety in the Kitchen!TM” The campaign’s goal is to educate everyone about the simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves, and those around them, safe in the kitchen.

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of fires in the kitchen.  Keep kids safe and avoid accidents and injuries by keeping them three feet away from the stove while you are cooking.

Other basic kitchen fire safety guidelines include:

  1. Keep appliances serviced, clean, and in good repair.
  2. Unplug electric appliances when not in use. This saves power by reducing the amount of energy a device consumes even when it’s not being used, and protects against overheating and power surges that can damage equipment.
  3. Install a smoke detector near, but not in the kitchen.
  4. Use caution when lighting the pilot light or burner on a gas stove.
  5. Don’t use metal in the microwave.
  6. Don’t overfill pots or pans with oil or grease.

Additional fire prevention guidelines include:

  • Avoid “over-fusing” circuits…the modern-day version of putting a penny in a screw-in fuse socket to keep the fuse from blowing. If a breaker is tripping, but will allow you to reset it, there is a problem on the circuit. It may be overloaded. Replacing the breaker with one of a higher amperage rating is a potential fire hazard. Enlist the help of a licensed electrician.
  • If your lights flicker, or appliances start working and then stop, whether they are plugged in or hardwired, or you hear crackling or sizzling noises at a switch, receptacle, or inside a wall…stop using the equipment, turn off the breaker, and call a licensed electrician. There may be arcing on the circuit, which is a potential fire hazard.

Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9th in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on October 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage.

In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the longest-running public health observance in our country. During Fire Prevention Week, children, adults, and teachers learn how to stay safe in case of a fire.

Firefighters provide lifesaving public education in an effort to drastically decrease casualties caused by fires.

When you need a trusted licensed Electrician, Call on Little Sparkie Electric!

 

 

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/

 

Follow These Fall Safety Tips!

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), reminds you to keep electrical safety in mind as the cooler fall weather moves many activities back indoors. The following safety tips will help you stay safe during the change of seasons:
  • Safely store warm weather tools like lawn mowers and trimmers. 
  • Check cold weather tools, such as leaf and snow blowers, along with their power cords, for unusual wear and tear. 
  • Repair or replace worn tools or parts right away.
  • Unplug and safely store battery chargers that won’t be in use again until spring.
  • Use only weatherproof electrical devices for outside activities. Protect outdoor electrical devices from moisture.
  • Make sure electrical equipment that has been wet is inspected and reconditioned by a certified repair dealer.
  • Keep dry leaves swept away from outdoor lighting, outlets and power cords. 
  • Make sure electric blankets are in good repair and certified by an independent testing lab such as UL, CSA or ETL. 
  • Power cords should not be frayed, cracked or cut. 
  • Do not tuck your electric blanket under mattresses or children, and do not put anything, such as comforters or bedspreads, on top of the blanket while it is in use. 
  • Never allow pets to sleep on an electric blanket.