Electrical Safety Tips for Fall

As we find ourselves right in the middle of the Fall season, we need to ensure that we’ve prepped ourselves with some electrical safety tips to protect our loved ones. So the first order of business that we want to look into is packing up all that summer equipment. All those lawnmowers, trimmers, and even sprinkler systems need to be stored properly, and we need to make sure not to have them exposed to harsh winter elements that can damage them.

Look at your cold-weather equipment

Once everything for the warmer months is stored away, it’s time to run a maintenance check on your winter equipment. This is both for indoor and outdoor gear. That means looking at your space heaters, built-in home heaters, leaf blowers, and similar equipment. Check for any wear and tear, and specifically check the power cords to ensure there’s no issue.
The reason, especially for outdoor usage, is that there will be a lot more moisture. Whether from rain or snow, you want everything as weatherproof or waterproofed as possible. The outlets themselves for outdoor usage should have some type of protective weatherproofing as well to keep the elements out and protect the user against any kind of shock.

Dry leaves need to be cleaned up

Part of the Fall season is dry leaves coming off the trees. While you don’t always need to sweep them as soon as a leaf falls, you do want to ensure that there are no dry leaves around anything with power. That means keeping them away from outdoor outlets, patio lights, and anything bringing in power, such as power cords. Dry leaves can easily catch on fire from even one spark that these powered elements can ignite. So then you’re dealing with an unnecessary fire.

Check out your smoke sensors

Since you’re going to be at home a lot more, with the doors closed and the appliances running, you’re going to want to confirm that the smoke alarms are all in working condition. This means your carbon monoxide monitors as well, too, in case some of your appliances aren’t working or not working at optimal levels. This will make sure to keep you and your loved ones safe this Fall season and into the Winter months.

Space heaters need to be used properly

Space heaters are going to see normal usage during these next two seasons. Yet they themselves can be quite a dangerous appliance. Make sure to use space heaters properly and not put anything too close to them, as the space heaters can set things on fire. We always mean a couple of feet away from anything that is flammable so that they don’t light up or don’t get burned either.

If you also use electric blankets when it gets too cold, remember to never directly sleep on them and keep them away from any types of liquids, as that can potentially cause a shock. Also, take extra care with children using electric blankets, and never use them for your pets. See our reviews and contact us today for help with your home’s electrical needs.

May 25, 2022May 25, 2022

Local Electrician offers Tips for hiring an Atlanta Residential Electrician

Although there are a lot of resources out there for the DIY electrician, there are numerous benefits when working with a licensed electrician who’s also specialized as a residential electrician.

First, a lot of technical knowledge is needed, and it can really help smooth over the entire end-to-end process of whatever the licensed electrician is there for.

They are highly experienced

Before they can even consider becoming a residential electrician or a licensed electrician, they need to go through extensive training just to be approved to start their journey.

This course is around 100 hours, and once they are qualified with the book portion of being an electrician, they can start their path of becoming an apprentice, then a journeyman, and a master level of skill. To be either a journeyman or master requires several thousand hours of practical experience.

It’s not a clean job

Being a licensed electrician means going into the guts and foundation of the house to get to where the wiring is. You might feel that putting in a new electrical socket or light switch is all a residential electrician may do, but the real work comes in where all the dirt, cobwebs, and dust are behind the scenes.

They’ll need to get there and either fix wires on the spot or need to re-wire throughout the entire home.

You’re covered with a licensed electrician

Another thing about residential electricians is that they will always stand by their work. As long as you’re working with a professional contractor that has the right types of insurance, whatever electrical wiring or job a licensed electrician performs, insurance will cover any significant mishaps in most cases.

Regardless of insurance, many professional licensed electricians will come back and check on their work to confirm that they did the best job possible.
They’ll also ensure to get the proper building permits that may be needed (depending on the State) and will make sure that their wiring job complies with any types of building or municipal codes at the same time. This is another headache you can easily avoid when working with a licensed electrician.

It will save you money in the long run

Although it may seem as if a residential electrician comes in, does the job quickly, and charges you a significant amount, it’s well worth it. That’s an investment into your electricity at your home that can make everything run smoothly, keep your home safe and give you the correct power needs you require.

You want to also make sure when selecting the right type of licensed electrician that they have a good reputation and good reviews to go with everything. This way, you’ll be in safe hands for someone handling your wiring through this residential electrician.

Understanding similar past work and how they were able to handle it goes a long way to a successful residential electrician doing the job right the first time.

Please see our reviews and contact us for help with your residential electrical services.

August 27, 2021August 27, 2021

Home Electrical Safety Tips for Fall

Did you know that almost half of fire department calls report accidents caused by electricity? To be more precise, electricity isn’t the culprit, but people that neglect routine checks are.

As fall is getting closer, another regular inspection has to be done. We know exactly what there is to check. Do it diligently and carefully, and make sure to call professionals if all these wires don’t make any sense.

While there are many conditions that can be detected by someone who doesn’t know a lot about electrical applications, only a true pro electrician will notice the smaller, yet equally important, errors.

We’re going to use more appliances soon, so here are some recommendations.

1: Check All Plugs’ and Cords’ Condition and Placement

The first electrical safety tip concerns cords and plugs. You have to look for:

Damage of any kind;
Exposed wires;
Broken parts or elements not in place.

Call a licensed electrician if something looks suspicious. If you don’t have experience, it’s better not to touch the wires.

Now, about the placement. Here are some guidelines that will help you understand if everything’s fine for fall:

There have to be water-resistant extension cords in all areas in your house and outside where it gets dump;
The cords shouldn’t be under carpets or near doors (you can close the door and damage the wire);
Extension cords shouldn’t be used as permanent outlets. If you need some, it’s better to ask a pro to install them where you need;
Every heavy-use appliance must be plugged into wall outlets.

2: Check All Appliances’ Condition and Placement

One of the essential electrical safety tips is to check all appliances, especially those responsible for heating. Make sure they are:

Intact;
Placed properly;
Have an official seal from CSA, UL, or another lab.

As to the placement, don’t put any heating devices near flammable objects. This includes not only heaters but coffee machines, toasters, etc. Appliances a like toaster, hairdryer, kettle, etc. should be plugged off after use.

3: Check All Lighting in the House

Check your lamps, as you’re going to use them much more as the sun goes down earlier. See if all lamps are below the limit mentioned on the light itself. LED lights are an amazing solution since they are very effective, save power (and money), and aren’t as dangerous as other types.

Keep the lights at least 1 ft away from flammable items like paper, curtains, etc.

Bonus: Additional Precautions

Here are some additional electrical safety tips:

Inspect your detectors to make sure they work properly for movement, smoke, and carbon monoxide;
Inspect every portable heater you have and never use them in the bathroom;
Check devices for outside use. If they aren’t suitable for that, consider buying other models.

Don’t neglect routine checks of electrical appliances in your house. Safety recommendations are given not to take your time from other important stuff. Specialists provide them to make sure every home is safe as the temperature goes down.

We want your golden autumn and cheerful winter to be warm and stress-free. So, go over the recommendations again and consider calling a professional to come over and inspect the house.