Use This Winter Electrical Safety Checklist

The change of seasons is an ideal time to use your cool weather electrical safety checklist to avoid potentially lethal electrical hazards, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, which offers the following safety tips:

Outdoor tools and appliances

• 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.

Holiday decorations and costumes

• Ensure all holiday lighting and extension cords are in good repair, with no fraying, cracking or cuts, and are certified by an independent testing lab such as UL, CSA or ETL. Follow the rating for indoor or outdoor use.
• Never connect more than three strands of decorative lights together. Make sure all connections are tight and protected from inclement weather, including the outlet. Unplug the lights from the outlet when not in use.
• Make sure spotlights used to highlight decorations are well-ventilated, protected from weather and are a safe distance from anything flammable, such as shrubs and bushes, dry leaves or fabric decorations.
• Keep power and extension cords out of pathways.
• Do not coil power cords or extension cords while in use. Do not tuck them under rugs, carpets or curtains. They may overheat, causing a fire hazard.

Electric blankets

• 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 into mattresses or under children, and don't put anything on top of the blanket while in use, such as comforters or bedspreads.
• Never allow pets to sleep on the electric blanket.

 Power Outages

• Make sure you have candles and outage kits, food, water, etc. 
• Sylvia Electrical can give you prices on portable or stand-alone generators so you don't have to be left in the dark.
• Even portable generators can keep your heat and refrigerator going

Sylvia Electrical can help with all your electrical needs.  Our local electricians are ready to help you.  Call us today at 978-535-6661 for a free estimate.
 

Daylight Savings Time is here. Change your Clocks and Check your batteries.

Daylight Savings, check smoke detectors

Posted by: Eli George

BUFFALO, N.Y. (RELEASE) - As the end of Daylight Saving Time approaches, the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York (FASNY) urges residents to replace the batteries in their smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors throughout their homes, and to test those detectors to make sure that they are functioning properly. Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, November 6 at 2:00 A.M. FASNY also recommends that homeowners dust or vacuum their smoke detectors to keep them free of debris, so they can function properly if needed.

According to a recent survey among 1,004 adults commissioned by the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and conducted by Harris Interactive by telephone in September 2010, Americans continue to have misunderstandings about smoke alarms, including how many they need in their homes, and how often they should be tested and replaced. The NFPA also states that two-thirds of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

“Smoke alarms are one of the best safety devices you can buy,” said FASNY President David Jacobowitz. “Daylight Saving Time is the perfect time to replace the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. A task that only takes a minute or two can ultimately save so many lives.”

· NFPA tips for keeping smoke alarms/detectors working properly:

· Test smoke alarms/detectors at least once a month by using the alarms “test button”. Do NOT use an open flame.

· Clean the units by vacuuming or dusting in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

· Install new batteries in all smoke alarms/detectors at least once a year on the day you change your clocks in the fall or when the alarm chirps (warning that the battery is dying). Do NOT disable the “chirping” feature by removing batteries.

· Keep batteries in smoke alarms/detectors; do not borrow them for other purposes. Nuisance activations can be addressed by moving a smoke alarm/detector farther away from kitchen smoke or bathroom steam and by more frequent cleaning. If the problem persists, replace the unit.

· Don’t paint over smoke alarms and detectors.

NFPA tips for installing smoke alarms/detectors:

· While smoke alarms/detectors alert people to fires, families still need to develop and practice home fire escape plans so that they can get out quickly.

· Install at least one smoke alarm on every floor of your home (including the basement) and in or near each sleeping area. If you sleep with the door closed, NFPA recommends installing smoke alarms/detectors inside the room. In new homes, smoke alarms/ detectors are required in all sleeping rooms, per the National Fire Alarm Code.

· Because smoke rises, alarms should be mounted high on walls or ceilings.

· Wall-mounted alarms should be positioned 4-12 inches from the ceiling.

· Ceiling-mounted alarms should be positioned 4 inches away from the nearest wall.

· On vaulted (“cathedral”) ceilings, be sure to mount the alarm at the highest point of the ceiling.

· Smoke alarms/detectors should not be installed near a window, door or forced-air register where drafts could interfere with their operation.

· NFPA recommends that people with hearing impairments install smoke alarms/ detectors with louder alarm signals and/or strobe lights to alert them to a fire. For a list of manufacturers that distribute smoke alarms/detectors for the hearing impaired, please call NFPA´s Center for High-Risk Outreach at 617-984-7826.

· Purchase smoke alarms/detectors with the UL label.

· Smoke alarms/detectors that are hard-wired to the home's electrical system should be installed by a qualified electrician.

For more information on smoke detector safety, visit the National Fire Protection Association website at www.nfpa.org .

Copyright WIVB.com

KNOB AND TUBE WIRING

KNOB AND TUBE WIRING, A NO NO NOW------

Knob and tube wiring is now considered outdated and unsafe.

This means that knob and tube wiring is out and Romex (described below) is in.

One of the problems with knob and tube wiring is that over time, wires will deteriorate and fray.

If you would have knob and tube wiring in your home today and your home would be inspected for any home renovation project, it would be necessary to replace the knob and tube wiring.

The knobs are porcelain insulators that suspend the wiring in the air to dissipate the heat. These were used for wiring that ran through the rafters and studs.

Romex is used today and has an insulated coating making it easy to attach to rafters and studs without the need for dissipating the heat.

Knob and tube wiring does not have a ground conductor. The switch for turning off the neutral wire would turn off the circuit but it would not turn off the current.

Knob and tube wiring cannot be placed near insulation. With Romex, you can properly insulate your home according to today’s current standards.

Professional, licensed and insured electricians are trained in every aspect of wiring and will know how to replace the knob and tube wiring correctly.

In an effort to keep your home up to code and to keep your family safe from fire hazards or personal injury, you should always use the services of a professional electrician.

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Electricity Now and in the Future

]Most electricity is generated from burning fossil fuels but there are alternative electricity sources available. The most popular electricity source is from burning coal, 50% or electricity production, the nuclear power, 20% production, natural gas, 18% production, hydroelectric, 6.5% production, petroleum, 3% productions and renewable energy source, 2.3% production. So of all of the energy produced only 85% comes from water, biomass, solar energy, geothermal power and wind power.
The key to electricity production is to keep the movement of a magnet around a conductor. This can be achieved by having two conductors in salt water, shining a light on the conductors or by touching the conductors together. The energy produced to keep the electricity moving comes from absorbing energy or energy collected for burning fuels. This energy is needed to keep the copper wire found between two magnets spinning as this is the most common form of electricity generation and delivery.
Wind power is one of the best forms of renewable energy but one of the least utilized. This is a pity as most of the United States electricity needs could be meet by wind power alone though the knowledge of the effectiveness of wind power is growing. Wind power is the most environmentally friendly electricity sources and is the most efficient of any electricity production as it produces more electricity then for a small amount of wind power.
Solar energy is an effective electricity source that is slowly gaining popularity. Solar cells have advanced so much that solar panels are become extremely affordable. In fact modern solar energy technology is capable of pumping electricity back into the electricity company. The major downside to solar energy electricity production is that very large-scale productions do not work well.
Most solar energy users have found that after the equipment is installed they rarely, if ever, need to pay for electricity again. Unfortunately unlike in movies large-scale solar electricity conversion has proven to be very impractical. Similarly, start-up costs can be very high and most howmeowners may balk at the costs involved. However, there are a few government incentives available to assist with alternative energy conversions.
Electricity can also be produced from water falling over a dam as many dams have electricity stations at the bottom or further downstream. Hydroelectric power has been used for years and if you have a stream on your property you can even install a small hydroelectric generator to power your home.
A substitute to running generators on petroleum of other fossil fuels is to use biodiesel. Biodiesel is a fuel that is made from animal fats and vegetable oil. Biodiesel has been around for over 100 years, since 1895, but it has not been a popular form of fuel. Currently many tankers and trucks run on biodiesel though any vehicle can be converted to running on biodiesel. Thank you to Dianne Koontz for this article.