Electrical Safety in the Home or Business
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs)
This device, whether in the form of an outlet or a circuit breaker, has saved countless lives. It detects current that is flowing to ground, and turns itself off. What this means is that if YOU are shorting out an energized circuit to ground, YOU are being shocked or electrocuted, and the GFCI will turn OFF, thereby saving your life!
If your home or office does not have GFCI type outlets in bathrooms, kitchen, garage, and outside, contact us today (link to Contact page) and we'll get them installed for you.
Arc Fault Interrupters
According to the Electrical Safety Foundation, faulty electrical wiring and arcing causes more than 73,000 home fires each year in the United States. Arc fault interrupters are available in circuit breaker form, which detect the unique characteristics of an electrical arc, the frequency and "bounce" of the harmonics, and after about 1/10th of a second, it shuts off the power to the entire circuit. This invaluable device is saving a lot of homeowner's lives and property.
If you want more information about arc fault interrupters or would like to have them installed in your home or office, contact us today.
Extension Cords
Extension cords should only be used as a temporary circuit "extension" for work or tool use. For example, using an extension cord for a weed eater or power saw. They are not intended to replace permanent wiring methods, and are a serious life safety issue if used improperly. If you use extension cords in your home or office because there are not enough outlets, you are taking a risk. That is why the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and National Electrical Code (NEC) prohibit the use of cords in place of permanent wiring methods.
Cords can and do heat up. Generally the wiring in the cord is smaller than the proper home or office wiring, and is not capable of handling significant current. They can easily overheat and can catch fire.
Let's say you have a #12 AWG (American Wire Gauge) conductor in your home. Then you use an extension cord of #16 AWG (this is smaller wire), and your circuit breaker is rated at 20 amps. In this situation, you can put 20 amps through the cord, and it would overheat and possibly start a fire.
Additionally, extension cords are not concealed like proper wiring and are subject to physical damage. We've all thrown out a few extension cords because they get cut, ripped, or pinched. This means you are exposing yourself or loved ones to a potential shock or electrocution.
So if you have extension cords instead of proper outlets, contact us and we'll get it fixed and make it safe!
Aluminum Wiring
Things you should know about aluminum wiring in houses.
First, aluminum wiring can be safe if properly utilized. From high voltage transmission lines to the service entrance conductors feeding your home, these conductors are usually aluminum. So what's the big problem with aluminum wire? When used as smaller conductors such as #10 AWG for a 20 amp circuit, or #12 AWG for a 15 amp circuit in a home, these conductors can be hazardous if not installed correctly.
Why?
Aluminum is not as conductive as copper, gold, or silver. Because it has a higher electrical resistance, and because of its properties, aluminum expands and contracts under loads significantly more than copper. As the "load" or amperage increases on the conductor, it expands. When the load decreases, the conductor contracts back to its original size. This constant expansion and contraction, combined with oxidation, cause the terminations in wire connectors and on devices such as outlets and switches to become loose. When loose, they will arc. And arcing will eventually lead to a fire. That’s why small aluminum conductors make a poor substitute for copper.
For larger appliances and large "feeders", this does not pose as big a problem. The connection methods for larger wires take this expansion and contraction into account. Additionally, anti-oxidant compounds are required on these connections.
FPE Circuit Breakers
Federal Pacific Electric was a large manufacturer of electrical breaker boxes or load centers and panel boards from the 1960s to 1980s. Problems arose from these products culminating in lawsuits in the early 1980's and the withdrawal of the product line from the market by its producer. The consumer product safety commission has produced several case studies of these products and their hazards.
Based on many years experience in the electrical construction and service industries, we highly recommend if you have FPE (Federal Pacific Electric) breakers, breaker boxes, load centers, or panel boards, that you get these replaced immediately. They are well-documented fire hazards, and have been proven to "lock on" during an overload condition, just the opposite of what a breaker should do.
One of the typical statements we hear from owners of FPE breaker boxes is, “I've never had any problems with it (FPE breaker box) in 20 plus years, never tripped a breaker once." Now, if you’ve been in the same home or office for twenty or more years and never had a tripped circuit breaker, either:
- You don't use electricity in your home or office. Or,
- You have a serious problem. Breakers are meant to trip, to protect the wiring. The fact none have tripped in 20 plus years shows overload conditions in your home or office are going unprotected.
The following links may be of assistance:
Sylvania/Zinsco Circuit Breakers and Load Centers
Zinsco circuit breakers have problems with improper heat dissipation, which can lead to burning of the circuit breaker itself. Further, Zinsco breaker boxes use an unanodized or unplated aluminum bus bar arrangement. In moist climates, this can lead to excessive oxidation, whereby the bus bars actually reduce in size as the oxidation process continues. This can lead to loose connections, which may result in arcing or burning at the bus bar/circuit breaker connection point. We highly recommend, if you have a Zinsco breaker box, that you replace it immediately.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739 (909) 980-1320