Electrical Safety Month - Home Safety Check List
May is National Electrical Safety Month!
Hazards commonly found in older homes are increasingly causing fires and fatalities in the U.S. However, by taking a few simple steps and by incorporating newer technology you can protect your home from many of these dangers. Each year the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) sponsors May as National Electrical Safety Month.
Home electrical problems account for nearly 55,000 home fires every year. These fires cause over 500 deaths,injure more than 1,400 people, and account for $1.4 billion in property damage. Older homes are at even greater risk to fire. According to the US Census Bureau, half of the homes in the United States were built before 1973. These homes and electrical systems were built before many of the appliances and electronics that we commonly use today were even around. To put this into perspective, a third of US homes were built before hair dryers or electric can openers were invented! Half of the homes were built before the advent of the garage door opener or the home computer!
“As each year goes by Americans are using more energy in their homes,” says Brett Brenner, President of ESFI. “Many homes and electrical systems in the US are simply being overburdened leading to fires, deaths, and injuries.”
We are providing our customers with a checklist below which will allow customers to identify electrical dangers commonly found in each room of their home.
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House Fire in East Brunswick - Check Your Smoke Detectors & Fire Alarms!
Our hearts go out to our local neighbors in East Brunswick whose home was destroyed last week due to a devastating home fire. It seems as though it was an electrical issue that sparked the fire but we have not been able to confirm that information. Check out the story if you haven’t heard. We are just a phone call away if there is anything anybody needs. We are more than happy to offer support!
We want to take this opportunity to remind everyone to please please please test your smoke detectors and fire alarms MONTHLY and change the batteries AT LEAST annually. We would recommend changing it seasonally - like when you change the times an hour forward and an hour back.
Every year in the US, about 3,000 people lose their lives in home fires. Most fires victims die from inhalation of smoke and toxic gases, not as a result of burns. Most deaths and injuries occur in fires that happen at night while the victims are sleeping. Try testing your alarms in the middle of the night and make sure everyone in the home wakes up to the sound of the alarm.
If your children happen to sleep through the alarm, check out this page on our website: http://www.friendlyelectric.com/smoke-detectors.html. There are different options you have for your family to ensure that everyone will be safe in the event of a fire.
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Give the good guys a break!
Today there is a contractor just about everywhere you look. But just like anything else in life, not all contractors are the same. As a reputable electric heating & air contractor in New Jersey it is getting more and more difficult to compete with the competition. The sad thing is that it’s not because they’re better than us. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, but the average homeowner is unaware of the differences. Homeowners have many concerns when choosing a professional to work in their home; however many of them are the wrong concerns. Every day we bid against non-licensed, uninsured contractors who seem to have flooded our marketplace. “When can you do the job? I need it done right away” … we hear this all the time. We try our best and can usually accomodate them; however, sometimes we can not. And the reason why we can’t accomodate them is because we are doing our jobs the right way. Some examples of time delays are township permits and utility mark outs. Both of these processes are designed with the sole purpose of protecting the homeowner, yet many clients are annoyed by them. It is very frustrating as a contractor to lose jobs to individuals who claim to be contractors and in fact are not. It is sad, because many homeowners who hire these people have no idea that anything is wrong. It is not the homeowner’s job to know what requires a permit, if they are breaking the law by not having a utility mark out completed, if the work is not being done to code etc. It is the contractor’s responsibility as the professional in charge of the project. But when a homeowner chooses to hire a non-professional they lose that protection. If one contractor tells you something that contradicts what a second contractor says, you should question it. Contact your township and ask them if you are not sure. It amazes me how often, they are misinformed by the non-professional but yet since it is an easier or faster solution for them, they don’t seem to care. For instance if I say we need to wait two weeks for the permit and “Joe” the Electrician says they don’t need permits the homeowner believes him. They believe him because his answer is easier for them and they like that. But why would we say that we need permits and that we won’t be able to meet their time frame and risk losing the project if it weren’t true? Homeowners need to realize that the quick route today could end up being the long, expensive route of tomorrow. Professional contractors do not cut corners or ignore rules and regulations. They do not ask you to obtain a permit in your name. They provide you with a written invoice. They provide you with proof of insurance. They do not demand cash only. There are reasons why “Joe” the Electrician does what he does. Perhaps he is not licensed and can not obtain a permit in his name. Perhaps he has no insurance. Perhaps he is not a licensed business and does not pay sales tax. Perhaps he does not want you to be able to locate him if you have a problem. Perhaps these are the reasons why he is cheaper than the professional contractor. There are lots of things to consider when hirirng a contractor to work in your home… but most homeowner’s skip the most important ones.
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R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Electricity - Even Professionally Trained Electricians Can Get Burned…
Electricity should never be taken lightly. This is the hand of a trained and professional electrician. Please remember that electricity is very powerful and should be respected. Don’t worry, pride was wounded more than anything. But we just wanted to let you know that even highly trained service technicians can run into issues so next time you consider the DIY (Do It Yourself) method - just realize that electricity is a powerful force to deal with.
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Storm Watch…Middlesex County, NJ
This weekend has been a busy and stressful time for many of our customers We have received several emergency calls from our existing customers who were in need of sump pump battery back-ups, generators, and panel repairs. Our service technicians have been working extra hard to take care of you and we want to do everything we can to help. Saturday night we were out there cutting trees & clearing roads. Remember, if you have power outages, report them to the utility company and not the townships.
For all of our friends and customers… If you’re using portable generators, PLEASE make sure that you’ve placed the generator OUTSIDE! If it is in the garage, the carbon monoxide will travel into the home - even if the garage door is open. Don’t worry about the generator getting wet - it will be okay.
If you are using a standby generator and may not have gotten regular maintenance, please make sure that your exhaust is unobstructed.
Also - remember, that if you are in Middlesex County, the water contamination is still in effect. Flooding may have caused contamination at a local plant so stock up on bottled water and remember to boil your water for at least 1 minute before consuming it, using it to cook or bake with, or giving it your pets.
Keep your eyes out for an email we will be sending to our loyal customers with some money saving coupons for sump pumps and generators. If you haven’t signed up for our newsletter, do so now! http://www.friendlyelectric.com/electric-news.html
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Prevent Home Fires: Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs)
Problems in home wiring, like arcing and sparking, are associated with more than 40,000 home fires each year. These fires claim over 350 lives and injure 1,400 victims annually.
A new electrical safety device for homes, called an arc fault circuit interrupter or AFCI, is expected to provide enhanced protection from fires resulting from these unsafe home wiring conditions.
Typical household fuses and circuit breakers do not respond to early arcing and sparking conditions in home wiring. By the time a fuse or circuit breaker opens a circuit to defuse these conditions, a fire may already have begun.
Several years ago, a CPSC study identified arc fault detection as a promising new technology. Since then, CPSC electrical engineers have tested the new AFCIs on the market and found these products to be effective.
Requiring AFCIs
AFCIs are already recognized for their effectiveness in preventing fires. The most recent edition of the National Electrical Code, the widely-adopted model code for electrical wiring, will require AFCIs for bedroom circuits in new residential construction, effective January 2002.
Future editions of the code, which is updated every three years, could expand coverage.
AFCIs vs. GFCIs
AFCIs should not be confused with ground fault circuit interrupters or GFCIs. The popular GFCI devices are designed to provide protection from the serious consequences of electric shock.
While both AFCIs and GFCIs are important safety devices, they have different functions. AFCIs are intended to address fire hazards; GFCIs address shock hazards. Combination devices that include both AFCI and GFCI protection in one unit will become available soon.
AFCIs can be installed in any 15 or 20-ampere branch circuit in homes today and are currently available as circuit breakers with built-in AFCI features. In the near future, other types of devices with AFCI protection will be available.
Should You Install AFCIs?
You may want to consider adding AFCI protection for both new and existing homes. Older homes with ordinary circuit breakers especially may benefit from the added protection against the arcing faults that can occur in aging wiring systems.
For more information about AFCIs, contact an electrical supply store, an electrician, or the manufacturer of the circuit breakers already installed in your home. Sometimes these components can be replaced with AFCIs in the existing electrical panel box.
Be sure to have a qualified electrician install AFCIs; do not attempt this work yourself. The installation involves working within electrical panel boxes that are usually electrically live, even with the main circuit breakers turned off.
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Certified Installers for Home Technology Installations
Friendly Electric is pleased to announce that three members of their team, Gabriel,Matt & Travis have successfully completed a certified training course on home technology installation. Gabriel, Matt & Travis join the other members of our team in being certified to install quality home technology products from such fine retailers as Lutron, Pass & Seymour and HAI. With the ever changing technology available to homeowners, electricians must constantly be educating themselves on new products. Friendly Electric is committed to providing our employees with on-going training programs, such as this to further enable them to serve our customers to the best of our ability. We strive to be the best in our industry. We work hard every day to make sure that we are providing quality products and a quality installation. Through the help of companies such as these, we can offer the most cutting edge technology to our customers. Congratulations to Gabriel, Matt & Travis!
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Fire Prevention
Home can be your shelter from the storm. Home, according to American writer and philosopher Elbert Hubbard, is the abode of the heart. But home can also be a dangerous place as attested to by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
The NFPA reports that fire departmens answered calls to nearly 400,000 home fires in 2006. The leading causes of home fires are associated with cooking, heating, electrical problems, and smoking.
To protect your home, follow the following guidelines:
- Beware of leaving flammables on or near the stove, including paper plates, plastic bags, pot holders, and oven mitts. In 2005, 67 percent of home fires started with the range or stove.
- Don’t leave the kitchen when you are using the stovetop or broiling in the oven. If you have to answer the door or tend to the children, turn the stove off until you get back.
- Immediately replace any damaged electrical cords. If you have small children, install tamper-resistant electrical receptacles.
- Keep lamps and light bulbs away from curtains, bedding, and anything else that can burn.
- Install and test your fire alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.
- If you smoke, do it outside. Never smoke in a house where oxygen is present. Keep any lighters or matches locked up and out of reach of children.
Deaths from residential fires occur most frequently between midnight and 4a.m. when the smoke and darkness can cause confusion.
Be sure everyone knows two ways to get out of the house. Have them practice finding their exits with their eyes closed. If a window is involved, be sure it’s easy to open. Have frequent fire drills with your family to make sure that everyone gets out safely incase of a fire.
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GFCI Receptacles
The GFCI
A “GFCI” is a ground fault circuit interrupter. A ground fault circuit interrupter is an inexpensive electrical device that, if installed in household branch circuits, could prevent over two-thirds of the approximately 300 electrocutions still occurring each year in and around the home. Installation of the device could also prevent thousands of burn and electric shock injuries each year.
The GFCI is designed to protect people from severe of fatal electric shocks. Because a GFCI detects ground faults, it can also prevent some electrical fires and reduce the severity of others by interrupting the flow of electric current.
The Problem
Have you ever experienced an electric shock? If you did, the shock probably happened because your hand or some other part of your body contacted a source of electrical current and your body provided a path for the electrical current to go to the ground, so that you received a shock.
An unintentional electric path between a source of current and a grounded surface is referred to as a “ground-fault.”
Ground Faults
Ground faults occur when current is leaking somewhere, in effect, electricity is escaping to the ground. How it leaks is very important. If your body provides a path to the ground for this leakage, you could be injured, burned, severely shocked, or electrocuted.
Some examples of accidents of this nature include: five and six year old children in Texas being fatally electrocuted when a plugged-in hair dryer fell into the tub while they were bathing; a three-year old child in Kansas being fatally electrocuted when she touched a faulty counter top.
These two electrocutions occurred because the electrical current escaping from the appliance traveled through the victim to ground (in these cases, the grounded plumbing fixtures). Had a GFCI been installed, these deaths would probably have been prevented because a GFCI would have sensed the current flowing to ground and would have switched off the the power before the electrocution occurred.
How the GFCI works
In the home’s wiring system, the GFCI constantly monitors electricity flowing in a circuit to sense any loss of current. If the current flowing through the circuit differs by a small amount from that returning, the GFCI quickly switches off to that circuit. The GFCI interrupts power faster than a blink of an eye to prevent a lethal dose of electricity. You may receive a painful shock, but you should not be electrocuted or receive a serious shock injury.
Suppose a bare wire inside an appliance touches the metal case. The case is then charged with electricity. If you touch the appliance with one hand while the other hand is touching a grounded metal object, like a water faucet, you will receive a shock. If the appliance is plugged into an outlet protected by a GFCI, the power will be shut off before a fatal shock would occur.
Availability of GFCI’s
Three common types of ground fault circuit interrupters are available for home use
- Receptacle type–This type of GFCI is used in place of the standard duplex receptacle found throughout the house. It fits into the standard outlet box and protects you against “ground faults” whenever an electrical product is plugged into the outlet. Most receptacle-type GFCI’s can be installed so that they also protect other electrical outlets further “down stream” in the branch circuit.
- Circuit breaker type–In homes equipped with circuit breakers rather than fuses, a circuit breaker GFCI may be installed in a panel box to give protection to selected circuits. The circuit breaker GFCI serves a dual purpose - not only will it shut off electricity in the even of a “ground-fault,” but it will also trip when a short circuit or an over-load occurs. Protection covers the wiring and each outlet, lighting fixture, heater, etc. served by the branch circuit protected by the GFCI in the panel box.
- Portable type–Where permanent GFCI’s are not practical, portable GFCI’s may be used. One type contains the GFCI circuitry in a plastic enclosure with plug blades in the back and receptacle slots in the front. It can be plugged into a receptacle then the electrical product is plugged into the GFCI. Another type of portable GFCI is an extension cord combined with a GFCI. It adds flexibility in using receptacles that are not protected by GFCI’s.
Where Should GFCI’s Be Installed?
In homes built to comply with the National Electrical Code, GFCI protection is required for most outdoor receptacles, bathroom receptacle circuits, garage wall outlets, kitchen receptacles, and all receptacles in crawl spaces and unfinished basements.
Owners of homes that do not have GFCI’s installed in all of those critical areas specified in the latest version of the Code should have them installed and brought up to code. For broad protection, GFCI circuit breakers may be added in many panels of older homes to replace ordinary circuit breakers. For homes protected by fuses, you are limited to receptacle or portable-type GFCI’s and these may be installed in areas of greatest exposure such as the bathroom, kitchen, basement, garage, and outdoor circuits.
A GFCI should be used whenever operating electrically powered garden equipment (lawn mower, hedge trimmer, edger, etc.). Consumers can obtain similar protection by using GFCI’s with electric tools (drills, saws, sanders, etc.) for do-it-yourself work in and around the house.
Installing GFCI’s
Circuit breaker and receptacle-type GFCI’s may be installed in your home by a qualified, licensed electrician. Receptacle-type GFCI’s may be installed by knowledgeable consumers familiar with electrical wiring practices who also follow the instructions accompanying the device. When in doubt about the proper procedure, contact a licensed electrician. DO NOT INSTALL IT YOURSELF!
Testing the GFCI’s
All GFCI’s should be tested once a month to make sure they are working properly and protecting you from fatal shock. GFCI’s should be tested after installation to make sure they are working properly and protecting the circuit.
To test the receptacle GFCI, first plug a nightlight or lamp into the outlet. The light should be on. Then press the “TEST” button on the GFCI. The GFCI’s “RESET” button should pop out and the light should go out.
If the “RESET” button pops out but the light does not go out, the GFCI has been improperly wired. Contact an electrician immediately to correct the wiring errors.
If the “RESET” button does not pop out, the GFCI is defective and should be immediately replaced.
If the GFCI is functioning properly, and the lamp goes out, press the “RESET” button to restore power to the outlet.
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IMPORTANT: Electrical Counterfeit Awareness!
Every day, counterfeit electrical products are finding their way into our homes, businesses, and public institutions. These fraudulent products pose a serious financial and legal liability to the electrical industry, and they have become a grave safety crisis for our communities - a crisis that requires immediate action.
Counterfeit electrical products pose significant safety hazards, and can cause deaths, injuries and substantial property loss in the home and the workplace if left undetected.
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (EFSI), in cooperation with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). has launched Counterfeits Can Kill, a national electrical counterfeit awareness program to help educate the public about the dangers of electrical counterfeit products.
What is Electrical Counterfeiting?
Trademark counterfeiting has reached the electrical sector. Counterfeiters have targeted well-known industrial and consumer brands, and registered certification marks of testing and certification laboratories.
Although counterfeit products may appear as excellent copies of their original counterparts, these products are often made using inferior materials and lax methods to produce substandard products. Advertised at prices unable to be matched by a genuine brand manufacturer, these products have failed to pass minimum safety tests upon investigation by authorities.
Undetected counterfeit electrical products such as circuit breakers, batteries, extension cords, and holiday lights can cause fires, shocks, explosions, and electrocutions.
Facts About Counterfeiting and Electrical Products
- According to The Gallup Organization, less than one-third of Americans are aware that counterfeit versions of electrical products such as batteries, extension cords, and circuit breakers even exist.
- Counterfeit goods account for 5%-7% of global activity, a value of nearly $600 billion.
- In 2007, the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) confiscated nearly $200 million worth of counterfeit products - the equivalent of 37 seizures per day.
- By mid-year 2008, CBP had already seized 796 shipments of counterfeit goods, valued domestically at $24.8 million - a 28% increase in total number of seizures and a 30% increase from mid-year 2007.
- In 2006, counterfeit electrical products made up 5% of total seizures reported by CBP. One year later, these goods represented 8% of total seizures, valued at more than $16 million.
- In a recent study conducted by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), 60% of Americans surveyed admitted being unable to distinguish between an original and a counterfeit electrical product.
- According to The Gallup Organization, the most effective deterrents cited by consumers in preventing them from purchasing counterfeit goods are the possibility of supporting terrorism, causing harm to a loved one, and supporting organized crime.
- 64% of counterfeit electrical products are purchased from authorized retailers.
Saftey Tips: Guidelines Designed to Help Consumers Identify and Avoid Potentially Dangerous Counterfeit Electrical Products
- Use established vendors and authorized retailers. Purchase electrical products from reputable retailers who obtain their goods from legitimate distributors and authorized manufacturers. Avoid purchasing electrical products at deep discount stores, flea markets, or bargain warehouses.
- Exercise caution in online transactions. The convenience and anonymity of online shopping have been key factors in the dramatic rise in the growing inventory of counterfeit electrical products in the United States. Do your homework when conducting business from online. Be especially wary of purchasing electrical products directly from unknown companies or unauthorized sellers, particularly in countries such as China, Russia, and India, where counterfeiting is a major issue.
- Check for certification marks. Quality electrical products sold in the United States should be certified by nationally recognized testing laboratories for safety. Look for certification marks from laboratories such as UL, CSA, or ETL-SEMKO. If you have outstanding concerns about the marks, contact the certifier prior to product purchase or use.
- Scrutinize labels and packaging. Distinguishing between an original product and its counterfeit version can be challenging, but product packaging and warning labels offer a valuable source of information and may reveal important telltale warning signs. Make sure that labels and packaging are free of grammatical errors, and that any information provided is consistent with information elsewhere on the package.
- Avoid products that lack any identifying brand label or affiliation. Make sure that the name and contact information of the product manufacturer is clearly displayed on the packaging and/or the product. Legitimate manufacturers are proud of their products and stand by them. If this information is missing, then consider an alternative product or retailer.
- Trust your instincts. Beware of bargains that seem too good to be true. Counterfeiters often use inferior materials and avoid key manufacturing steps to reduce the cost of their products, allowing them to be sold at prices no genuine brand manufacturer can match. Electrical products sold at extremely low prices may be counterfeit or defective.
- Be proactive. Organizations such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Underwriters Laboratories (UL) provide up-t-date information about product recalls on their websites. These publicly-searchable databases track detailed descriptions of product appearance, conditions of sale, make, model, hazard, and distributor.
(All information taken from the ESFI website at http://www.esfi.org/cms/node/134)
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