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Read This before Completing Your Electrical Project

Whether you’re a professional or a DIY junkie, it’s important to be fully educated on the task you’re going to be performing. There are many reasons for this. One, it’s the safe choice—you don’t want to take any risks around high voltage, because it’s fast and merciless. One slip up and you’re in shock city, and it’s not a fun place to visit.

Before you do any work anywhere in Pennsylvania, it’s required that you check with your local township or city officials to make sure that the task doesn’t require an electrician’s license. Many DIY “experts” will scoff at this and say that it will just result in them having to pay for an electrician. But, is that really a bad thing? As electricians, we’ve seen what can happen when things go wrong, and that’s why we offer our services: basically, it’s to keep people from electrocuting themselves.

Don’t Try to DIY, Hire A-1 Electric!!

Once you’ve decided to play it safe and smart, keep the following tips in mind.

Pennsylvania doesn’t offer “state licenses,” so if you hear an electrician say that they do, run away fast and don’t look back. Nearby New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware provide state licenses, but Pennsylvania doesn’t; mainly because those states are significantly smaller than Pennsylvania. These licenses require quite a bit of experience and training; for some people it’s a wake-up call to just how seriously complex electrical work is.

When you do bring an electrical contractor in, make sure you get everything in writing. Electricians are not allowed (at least in the state of Pennsylvania) to start any work without a contract and agreement, period. If you encounter an electrician, whether they’re building your home or fixing your air conditioner, and they don’t need some kind of contract or agreement to continue, you may want to question just how knowledgeable and qualified they are. These kinds of problems won’t ever occur at A-1 Electric—we guarantee it.

It’s okay to want your electrician to do extra work for you. Once you’ve gotten the ball rolling on a huge project, it’s easy to see things that you overlooked in the past while creating the design, and then want modifications on the spot. Unfortunately, electrical work is extremely intricate and requires a lot of planning. Good electricians should express that to their customers but aim to modify the agreement to accommodate the extra changes that the customer wants. In the world of electrical work, it’s a must to stick to the agreement and contract.

Electricians who don’t pay close attention to their agreements are setting themselves up for disaster. Always choose an electrician that treats your contract like the law, because it is. Put yourself in an electrician’s shoes; you just did some work that wasn’t on the contract, and something goes wrong—you’re now liable for acting outside of your contract, which is bad. You don’t want to ask for more than your contract outlines, true, but you also don’t want to accept less, either. That’s why you should only hire the most qualified electricians throughout Philadelphia.

Understand Conflict of Interest!

The last thing we want to touch on is conflict of interest. We’ve heard of it in politics, but what about in the world of electrical work? We’ll explain; in the state of Pennsylvania, and many other states, your electrical contractor absolutely cannot be the same person that does your electrical inspection. If you have a trusted contractor, someone who you know has your best interests in mind, and you want them to perform one or the other, make sure to set them aside for that, because they won’t be able to do both.

At A-1 Electric, we’re perfectly capable of performing both tasks, but legally we are bound to only perform one for each of our clientele. However, we could point you towards a third party inspector that we trust. Make sure you get the contracting and inspection services you need.

We hope this helped some people think before they went off to work on their own electrical project. Unless it’s seriously minor, you probably shouldn’t. If you’re not sure, call your local town or city municipal building and ask about the proper steps to take. If you’re still not sure, you can contact us at A-1 Electric – we definitely have an answer for you. Reach us today by phone throughout Pennsylvania at 800.401.6114.

The Hidden Truths about Surge Protectors

Some consider power surges to be the hidden denizens of the early spring and summer. Thunderstorms and heavy winds are loathed for the damage they inflict on electrical systems and infrastructure, which is caused by the lightning they can produce and its incredible bursts of electrical energy. When lightning produces these bursts of unnecessary energy and they enter an electrical system, or a faulty transformer or break in the system creates an influx of energy, a power surge will occur. Fortunately, when it does, surge protectors are there to keep your appliances and systems from blowing up. That is, as long as you remembered to buy an actual surge protector, and not an unprotected power strip.

However, there are some hidden truths about surge protectors that people don’t realize, or aren’t effectively educated about. That’s why we’re here, to protect, maintain and sometimes inspect your system when you need it, and to keep you educated wherever and whenever necessary.

Joule Ratings — Surge Protectors Have a Maximum Capacity for Surge Absorption

Surge protectors use a device known as a Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV). This component absorbs extra electrical energy in order to keep it from going into your appliances, electrical system or equipment. It does this by using “clamps” to displace excess energy and keep voltage at safe levels. The maximum electrical absorption capacity of a MOV is measured in Joules, a measurement unit used to quantify energy. This number is known as the “Joule Rating.”

Each surge protector will have a specific Joule Rating, the most frequent being around 500-1000. Unfortunately, it’s very tough to tell how much capacity is left in a surge protector’s MOV, which is why we suggest purchasing surge protectors with indicator lights on them that will inform you when the MOV is losing its juice. When a surge protector’s Joule Rating has been expended, it’s little more than an extra unprotected outlet, so be careful.

Clamp Ratings — Different Surge Protectors Use Different “Clamps”

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) typically inspects and rates different electrical equipment, tools, elements and appliances to provide standards of quality and expectations in the electrical engineering, contracting and inspection industries. Power surges are no exception—UL rates the “clamping voltage” of surge protectors—the voltage that they even-out to after protecting a system from a surge. The lowest UL rating possible for surge protector clamps is 330 volts, and most household surge protector clamps are rated at 500 volts. When you’re comparing surge protectors, make sure the clamps are rated at 500 volts to give your appliances and expensive computing equipment the protection they need.

Protective Warranties – Some Surge Protectors Have Them

At A-1 Electric we frequently see systems that have experienced distress or damage because of a power surge. We believe it’s important for you to know that many higher quality surge protectors have insurance and warranty protection for any piece of equipment damaged while hooked into them. Some surge protectors offer reimbursement up to $300,000 on equipment that was damaged during a power surge as a testament to the effectiveness and reliability of their products.

When it comes to protecting expensive computing equipment and other appliances, spending a few hundred dollars on a great surge protector will prove to pay for itself in the end—especially in our areas of Philadelphia and Bucks County, PA. We notoriously have strong winds, lightning storms and, of course, damage to power lines, whether it’s from car accidents, falling tree branches or any other unfortunate thing that can befall a power line or power plant.

4 Tips for Buying Surge Protectors

1) Look for surge protectors with documented protection for hot, neutral and ground lines—ask an expert from A-1 Electric about the difference between them.

2) Many surge protectors have protection features for Cable Lines, Phone Lines and Digital Satellite Lines. Protect your TVs, phones and cable equipment or you may regret it later.

3) As we said earlier, try to purchase surge protectors with indicator lights, even if they’re a little more expensive—it pays to know when a surge protector is no longer doing its job.

4) Always get more outlets than you need—you’ll probably get new things in the future, and if not, it’s still good to have some extra space available.

A-1 Electric Recommends Surge Protectors

Be safe with your surge protectors – buy the right voltage rating for what you’ll be using it for, and if necessary do some research. Never use surge protectors in humid or wet areas. Always uncoil cords, keep them away from obstructions, and keep children and pets away from them. Never use a surge protector on an aquarium and never plug a surge protector into an extension cord.

We don’t like seeing any system damaged from power surges or power spikes. Power surges and spikes can go through any type of wire or system. Surge protectors are your shields against excess power coming in and frying your appliances, computers and other sensitive equipment. Small surges can cause gradual degradation of circuits and elements within machinery and devices over time. Surge protectors are an extremely sound investment and will protect against power spikes – the scourge of the seasons. To learn more about finding quality surge protectors, or the other ways we can help bolster and protect your system, contact A-1 Electric today at 800.401.6114.

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.

Four Electrical Safety Tips to Keep In Mind This Winter

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It’s no secret that bad electrical work can cause fires. In fact, every year thousands of home fires occur because of faulty electrical equipment, appliances and infrastructure. These electrical fires cause property damage and injuries and in some cases, death. However, these can all be avoided by taking proper care of your residence’s electrical infrastructure as well as proper maintenance and care of your electrical appliances and accessories.

Use Licensed Electricians

Quite often, electrical appliances need maintenance, support and sometimes replacement. The electrical system also gets weaker with age, and at times will need to be repaired, adjusted, and at times, rewired. When you get work like this performed at your home, make sure that you use a registered licensed electrician and apply for all the necessary permits with your local AHJ   –   (Authority Having Jurisdiction)and have all work inspected by a certified 3rd Party Inspection Agency . At A-1 Electric, we take care to ensure that all of our electricians and Inspectors are certified and trained in the latest and greatest techniques from I.A.E.I, NFPA 70 E and OSHA, as well as several contemporary electrical engineering and installation programs, just to name a few. All of our Electricians and Inspectors at A-1 Electric are well versed on current and up-coming code cycles as well!

There are many telltale signs of appliances needing electrical repair. One is cracked or torn electrical cords and broken plugs, especially when their inner wiring is exposed. Also keep your nose peeled for scents of burning or melting plastic in an appliance. If you see these signs, contact a licensed electrician immediately. Having these problems cared for by someone inexperienced or improperly trained can lead to electrical fires and property damage.

Place and Use Your Appliances Appropriately

It’s important that if you own a large volume of electrical appliances, that you space them out and avoid clutter. Additionally, if you are going on vacation or leaving your residence for an extended period of time, don’t be afraid to turn off unnecessary heavy-duty appliances like ovens, HVAC units and lighting systems; there are many other potential items that could be switched off to save on the electrical bill and also reduce electrical risk factors within your residence. Check with a licensed electrician for a list of safety guidelines to follow when powering down any electrical equipment.

Teach Your Kids About Electrical Safety

Let your kids know about the dangers and also the uses of electricity. If you have toddlers or very young children, buy safety plugs for your electrical outlets, you can also upgrade your current standard 125v 15&20amp electrical outlets to a TR (Tamper Resistant) type which is required by the current 2008NEC (National Electric Code) section 406.11 and section.210.52 for all new installations.

Young children are fascinated by electricity and it’s good to educate them while they’re young so they don’t do reckless things. Tell them about the importance of turning off switches and powered areas before unplugging appliances to reduce the chances of an arc. Teach them about electrical conduction and how electricity and water are a dangerous mix. There are many ways to do this and each will be unique based on parenting and the nature of the child. Choose your own way and show them to rightfully fear and respect electricity.

Use Extension Cords Wisely

Extension cords should not be used as a substitute for wiring within your residence. They can short out and overheat, especially if the wattage and voltage are not compatible with the appliance they are hooked up to. Any electrician will strongly advise you to never bend prongs to make a cord fit an appliance and ensure the wattage is compatible with the load it’s powering – we can’t emphasize this enough!

Also, only purchase extension cords equipped with ground-fault interruption devices so they will shut off automatically in a pinch. Speaking of pinches, don’t put extension cords between doors or under heavy furniture in order to protect the outer casing and insulation. Always use quality UL (Underwriters Laboratories) rated cords.

These are just a few tips that will increase the electrical safety within your residence. If you have any safety issues currently within your residence, don’t hesitate to contact us at A-1 Electric; our experts are ready to help you. Call us at 215-965-1599 in Pennsylvania, or toll-free at 888.332-2962.