Monthly Archives: March 2015

What the U.S. Fire Administration and FEMA Tell Us about Electrical Fires

Electrical systems are complex things. Each element of the system is integrated with complex circuitry, wiring and potentially deadly high voltage electrical currents. Because of this, each county and city has strict, specific laws and codes governing electrical systems inside and outside of properties.

When an electrical system isn’t constructed properly, malfunctions happen and can cause electrical fires. These fires can be difficult to extinguish and sometimes sneak up on property owners by starting inside of walls and under flooring.

Improvements in Fire Safety – Numbers Don’t Lie!

Fortunately, people are getting better at protecting themselves against and preventing fires in their residences. Every few years, the U.S. Fire Administration provides a variety of useful statistics about fires in America. These statistics tell us a lot about trends in fires between 2002 and 2011. For one, both fires themselves and deaths occurring from fires are down 20%. Injuries occurring during fires also decreased by about 5%. While this is great news, fires are still occurring and electrical fire prevention is more important than ever.

The Risk is Still There

In 2012, electrical fires accounted for 5.4% of all residential fires and 6.9% of all non-residential fires across the nation, which is about one out of every 20 fires—not something to scoff at. A significant amount of fires were also caused by appliances and heating systems, which often incorporate complex electrical systems as well. So, it’s still important to have your electrical systems regularly checked and updated, regardless of how advanced switches, circuit breakers, detectors and sensors have become.

And these issues hit close to home, too! You may not realize it but Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery County, PA, residents suffer from electrical problems every year, whether it’s an electrical fire, or just a faulty system that doesn’t work when they need it. Look at this recent story by Philadelphia Magazine where an electrical fire caused a popular high-end menswear showroom to be evacuated and closed “until further notice.”

Now these business owners have to go through the troublesome task of relocating their merchandise, treating it for possible smoke damage and operating their store out of a temporary or entirely new location. Whether they are at fault or not, it’s clear that having quality, fully functioning electrical systems is a must for businesses in Philadelphia.

Smoke Alarms and Your Property

You might know that you should check your smoke alarms every month to make sure nothing’s gone awry. What you might not know is that you should also install a smoke alarm close to the core of your property’s electrical system. If you need help identifying areas at risk on your property, call us at A-1 Electric and we’ll help. If anything goes wrong with your electrical system and smoke starts to appear, you want to know about it as soon as possible—you don’t want to wait for the smoke to waft and rise up through your property to discover the fire.

Your power might not go off when an electrical fire starts!

Sometimes, the problem is with wiring or incoming electrical currents. Sometimes, the flow of electricity still continues and will make the problem worse. This is especially true for older appliances with weak or frayed electrical lines. Electricity will continue to flow through the system, causing further damage. Over time, outlets, transistors and transformers have been developed to produce less heat and stop the flow of electricity in the event of a FAULT. If you are holding on to old appliances, they are probably presenting an electrical fire hazard to your property and should be upgraded.

Space Heaters 101

Space heaters, portable or wall mounted, will also present a huge risk and it’s not because of the electricity! Because they are so convenient, many times people carelessly plug them in near things that are at risk of burning with prolonged heat exposure. Any time you plug something in, you have to think about risks.

Our goal is to educate you first and foremost, and then help you with your services, whether you need an electrical contractor or a third party agency in Montgomery County, Bucks County or Philadelphia, PA, A-1 Electric can help you. Call us today at 1.800.401.6114 for a consultation or to schedule a visit for us to check out your system—you won’t regret it. We also help with reintroduction of service throughout Montgomery County, Bucks County, Philadelphia and all the surrounding areas.

 

To see the US Fire Administration’s Fire Statistics: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/data/statistics/

Get Your Electrical System Ready for Summer With These Easy Tips

The Winter’s On Its Way Out – Are You Ready?

It’s true that around PA and NJ we’ve had a pretty rough winter as far as freezing temperatures and ice goes. We may not have had record-breaking snow, but that doesn’t mean that residents all over the area didn’t (and aren’t still) feeling the impacts of the season.

That’s why we’re releasing this blog as a preface to the spring and summer, and a conclusion to the winter. There are many things you should consider around your property for the coming change in season that will help preserve your electrical system and also keep you, your property, and everyone inside and nearby safe.

Check for leftover holiday season decorations and wiring. Many people overlook this after the holidays, and sometimes wiring and other things get left behind—this can be dangerous. The process of freezing, thawing and animals waking up from their hibernation and scurrying around will not bode well for the thin wires that usually accompany holiday décor. To prevent fires, loss of power and wasted electricity, please double check.

Your furnace has probably been working overtime, so give it a check. Yet another thing that gets overlooked is the wiring and electronics around the heating system in a house.  There’s a lot of insulation around furnaces—make sure that it’s in tact and that nothing came in during the winter and tried to burrow in there. Check your thermostats and make sure your furnace is responding well.

Check the electronics around any pools, ponds or fountains on your property.  This could also include areas that have been significantly flooded out or crushed by heavy snow load during the winter. Check the electronics around these areas for frays in the wiring, faulty bulbs or surfaced wiring that should be underground. Pools should especially have their electricity systems checked regularly by an expert to ensure proper grounding and circuit breaking.

Check Your Trees.  Some properties have more trees than others. As the winter progresses, cold weather, ice and thawing will kill or weaken the branches of your trees. Go around your property and look for problematic branches that may fall onto wires or important systems around your house. If possible, get a professional to help you. By taking proper care of your trees, you are saving yourself thousands of dollars in repairs after a storm.

Check Your Sump Pump. If you value your basement or under-levels you should never forget this step. One great way to test a sump pump is to get a bucket of water and slowly dump it into the sump, making sure that the system turns on and effectively drains out the water. Check the area the sump outlets to. This area can build up with ice in the winter and dirt and debris in the summer. If it gets clogged, it can cause the motor to overwork itself and eventually break down.

These are just a few tips on how to save yourself time and headaches with your electrical systems during the change in seasons. We regularly service clientele throughout Philly, Bucks and Montgomery County PA and most of the surrounding areas, so call us with any questions on how you can prepare yourself for the spring and summer months.