RICK Electrical Contractors, Inc.

 Ceiling Fan Safety & Tips

• Only use ceiling fan rated light bulbs and the correct bulb type. Never exceed the maximum wattage rating of the fan light kit.

• Remote controlled type ceiling fans have been known to activate false "On/Off" conditions due to remote interference from other products within a home or business. Consider hard-wired switches on ceiling fan installations instead of remote controlled fans to eliminate false "On/Off" activations. For a more in-depth explanation of Remote Controlled Ceiling Fan issues, click on the following link: Ceiling Fan Remote Issues 

 Circuit Breaker Panels & Loadcenter Safety

• If your home has a circuit breaker panel or loadcenter installed which was manufactured by the old Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) company, we highly recommend that you contact a qualified licensed electrician to inspect your panel. This is most important on the FPE's "STAB-LOK" model. The STAB-LOK panels were manufactured and installed in numerous homes across the US during the 1960's and 1970's. The STAB-LOK model manufactured by FPE is an electrical safety issue and should be replaced due to faulty circuit breakers and bus bars. For a more in-depth explanation of the Federal Pacific STAB-LOK panels, click on the following link: Federal Pacific STAB-LOK Panel Safety Issues 
• Another circuit breaker panel brand which has encountered electrical safety issues by not properly tripping the circuit breakers is the Zinsco panel. We highly recommend that you contact a qualified licensed electrician to inspect the Zinsco panel since it also has similar issues to the FPE panel explanation above. For a more in-depth explanation on the safety issues of the Zinsco Circuit Breaker Panel, click on the following link: Zinsco Panel Safety Issues
• If your home or business was wired with aluminum wiring instead of copper wiring, this is also another electrical safety issue. Many homes and businesses built during the late 1960's to early 1970's were wired using aluminum wiring. Due to inadequate wire sizing and improper installation methods used during this era, aluminum wiring poses an electrical safety threat. Consult a qualified licensed electrician to assess your wiring.
• Is your home or business electrical system safely grounded? If the receptacles are 2 prong only, there's a good chance that your home or business electrical system may not be grounded. Was your home or business built prior to the late 1960's and you have 3 prong receptacles currently in-place? Just because you have 3 prong receptacles, doesn't necessarily mean that you have a grounded electrical system. Was your home or business wired only using a 2-wire conductor system such as the cloth wiring type or knob & tube? Or is your home or business wired using Non Metallic Cable such as Romex and the ground wires were not terminated? Does your home or business contain multiple ground sources from your Electrical Utility, Telephone Company, Cable Company, Rooftop Antenna or Satellite Dish? All utilities should adhere to one common ground source. All of the above grounding issues are very common and they are also very unsafe for your home or business. Consult with a qualified licensed electrician to assess your electrical system's grounding methods. A properly grounded electrical system is a safe electrical system. An improperly grounded electrical system is a safety threat not only to the occupants but also to the other electrical components and to the building itself. 
• Does your home or business have an existing fuse box installed? If so, consider having the outdated fuse box replaced by a modern circuit breaker panel that is correctly balanced and has spare circuit breaker slots for future growth. With respect to the numerous electrical devices found in today's homes, fuse boxes are most likely being over-loaded and can pose an electrical safety issue. Consider upgrading outdated 60 amp fuse box services to a minimum of a 100 amp service using breakers.
• Does your home have cloth or knob & tube wiring currently installed? If so, consider replacing these types of wiring due to their age, lack of grounding and potential electrical safety issues.
• Never replace a blown fuse or a faulty circuit breaker in your main electrical panel with a fuse or breaker of a higher amperage rating.
• In the event of an emergency, all occupants in your home should be familiar with knowing how to shut off a branch circuit breaker and the main breaker on your electrical panel. All branch circuits within the main panel should be properly labeled in the event an emergency shut-off is required.
• Never allow a flooring contractor or a carpet cleaning contractor to temporarily power the floor sander or carpet cleaner directly onto your main electrical panel bus bars for a 240 volt connection. This is dangerous not only to your electrical panel, your home, but also very dangerous to the operator of such machinery since the machine is not protected by a circuit breaker within the main panel.
• When was the last time that the electrical system in your home or business was inspected by a Licensed Electrician to check for any potential electrical safety issues? Many people believe that an electrical system will last forever. That is just not true. In fact, the older the building is and the more owners it has had over the years, there is a good chance that electrical safety issues may be discovered and the current owner may not be aware of them. Communicate with neighbors within your sub-division. Chances are if your neighbors had some serious electrical issues in their home, you may also have similar issues since there is a good chance that the homes were all built by the same builder. This is especially common with homes wired with aluminum wiring and/or faulty manufacturer discontinued electrical panels and condominiums that were converted from apartments and now have electric baseboard heating. It is prudent to have your building's electrical system inspected every few years and correct any problems and/or electrical code violations that are discovered before they become a hazard to the occupants of the building and to the building itself. The electrical system in your home or business is one of the most critical and unfortunately is the most neglected and most abused system within a building. Electrical safety is not just our concern, it should also be yours.

 Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs - Choose the Correct CFL

•  If you are in the process of changing out your incandescent light bulbs to CLF's and your lighting fixture is controlled by a wall dimmer switch, remember to only purchase "dimmable" CFL bulbs. You will need to look very carefully at the package labeling to see if it is labeled as "dimmable". Another way to tell if the CFL is dimmable is by the price. Dimmable CFL's typically cost more than non-dimmable CFL's. Please note that many stores either carry a very limited selection of dimmable CFL's while other stores simply don't carry dimmable CFL's at all. Look before you purchase! If you install a non-dimmable CFL and the lighting fixture is controlled by a wall dimmer switch, you will end up reducing the life of the CFL and the wall dimmer switch. You may also hear a humming noise being back-fed thru the wall dimmer switch and possibly a humming noise from your circuit breaker that the light fixture is wired to. These symptoms are all caused by installing non-dimmable CFL's that are controlled by a wall dimmer switch.
  

Electrical & Energy  Savings Tips 

• Migrate your incandescent light bulbs to the more efficient and longer lasting Compact Flourescent Lightbulbs (CFL's). The incandescent light bulb is slowly going away!
• Get a whole house fan installed in your home attic for savings during hot summer days. This will reduce your air conditioning demand.
• Have an attic fan with a thermostat installed in your home attic. This will also reduce your air conditioning demand.
• Have ceiling fans installed and use them year round. Ceiling fans are not just for warm summer months, they also move warm air in the cold months and can reduce your heating bill.
• If your home doesn't have a programmable thermostat for your heating and air conditioning, get one installed.
• If your home is equipped with an electric hot water heater, get a timer installed on the 240 volt circuit and use a water heater blanket.
• Consider wall switch timers or occupancy sensors to be installed in areas of your home where lights are often forgotten about and left on. Common areas are: basements, closets, attics, crawl spaces, garages, sheds, utility rooms, mud rooms, etc.
• Consider "Photo-Eye" or "Dusk-To-Dawn" sensors for outdoor lighting fixtures.
• For security purposes when you're not at home, install a timer for table-lamp lighting during the evening hours with random time settings instead of just leaving the light "on".
• Consider LED lighting for Landscape Lighting instead of the traditional incandescent light bulb. LED's are more efficient and longer lasting.
• For under-cabinet lighting needs, consider using LED fixtures.
• Consider migrating to LED lighting for Holiday lighting. The old-fashioned Christmas type light bulbs (C7 & C9) will soon be history.
• Activate the "Power Saver" feature on your PC Monitor and on newer versions of television sets.
• If you're in the market to purchase new and more efficient electrical energy comsumer products, do some research and consider purchasing 'Energy Star Qualified Products".
• Check with your local electrical utility and see if they offer a reduced cost per kilowatt hour during non-peak hours. If you have a 2nd home or vacation home, some electrical utilities offer a "seasonal kilowatt hour rate".
• Even though you are not using your Microwave Oven, Coffee Maker, Home Entertainment, DVD, TV, PC or Printer, etc. at 2:00 o'clock in the morning while you're sleeping or while you're at work during the day, these devices still consume some electrical power. Consider installing a timer or unplugging them when not in use. Click here to learn more savings. 
• Do you really need all of those portable telephones that require a plugged-in 120 volt transformer around your home? First off, if you loose commercial electrical power, many of those types of portable phones won't provide dial-tone and all you're gonna get is "dead-air". Sure, they're a convenience, but they also consume electrical power when not in-use. Consider a reduction in portable electric phones around your home and install some "old-fashioned" line-cord only type telephones that just rely on the - 48 volts DC supplied by your local telephone provider (central office). Line-cord types of telephones will work even if your home sustains the loss of commercial electrical power. We recommend every home to have at least one "old-fashioned" line-cord type of telephone installed on a land-line in case of an emergency situation such as a prolonged power outage during a storm. 

 Generator Safety

• Never operate the generator in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. Generators can produce high levels of carbon monoxide very quickly, which can be deadly.

• Do not connect generators directly to household wiring without an appropriate transfer switch installed. Power from generators connected directly to household wiring can back-feed along power lines and electrocute anyone coming in contact with them.

• Do not attempt to install a generator transfer switch yourself. Only a qualified licensed electrician should install the transfer switch and perform service and preventative maintenance on a generator.

• Make sure your generator is properly grounded.

• Use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) to help prevent electrocutions and electrical shock injuries.

• Keep the generator dry.

• Make sure extension cords used with generators are rated for the load, and are free of cuts, worn insulation, and have three-pronged plugs. Always use heavy duty rated extension cords.
• Keep children away from portable generators at all times.
• Your generator is recommended to be started once a week with plugged-in loads to ensure optimum performance when you need it most. Visually observe your generator when running and check for any oil or gas leaks. Like any gasoline engine that has not been used for a prolonged period of time, the fuel line hoses can dry rot and may leak. Keep your generator engine properly tuned & serviced.
• Always add a fuel stabilizer to your gas tank to reduce the risk of gasoline gumming up the carb.
• If using a portable generator, know the wattage and connected load ratings to the circuits and equipment you intend to power. Never exceed the wattage rating of all connected loads on a portable generator.

 Kitchen Safety: Prevent electrical fires in your home

• To be electrically safe while you are cooking, remember to keep an eye on what you are doing. Ranges and ovens are a cause of home fires.
• Never leave a child unsupervised while cooking or when an electric or gas stove is within reach.
• Make sure you have a fire extinguisher and that it is easily accessible.

 Microwave Oven Interference

• Smoke detectors that are 10 years old are near the end of their service life and should be replaced. Some people think that their smoke detector sits idle until smoke is present. But it is working every minute, constantly monitoring the air 24 hours a day. For example, an ionization smoke detector goes through 3.5 million monitoring cycles in 10 years. In a photoelectric smoke detector, a light operates 24 hours a day to check for smoke particles in the air. Just like any electrical appliance, the components of smoke detectors wear out over time. When a smoke alarm reaches 10 years of use, the potential of failing to detect a fire increases substantially. Replacing them after 10 years reduces the likelihood of failure. The best protection for Smoke Detectors is to have them hard-wired (AC), wired via the Inter-Communications wiring and backed up by a DC battery throughout your home or business. If your Smoke Detectors contain DC batteries, remember to change the batteries every 6 months with a fresh battery. A general rule of thumb is too change the batteries when Daylight Savings Time changes (March & October). Smoke Detectors should be tested on a weekly basis using the 'test button" on the Smoke Detector.
• All Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms are labeled with the manufacturing date (month/year) on them. If your Smoke Alarms are nearing 10 years old or your Carbon Monoxide Alarms are nearing 5 years old, it's time to replace them with newer versions.
• Every bedroom, hallway and a minimum of one Smoke Detector located on each level should be installed in your home.
  
• Carbon Monoxide alarms should be replaced every 5 years for maximum protection. Every home should also have at least one Carbon Monoxide alarm installed (especially near sleeping areas or bedrooms).
  

 Battery Back-Up Sump Pumps & Flood Alert Devices

• If your home has a sump pump located in your basement and/or crawlspace and you don't have a battery back-up sump pump, get one installed and purchase the best one you can afford. It doesn't matter how dry your sump pit is or how minimally your primary sump pump cycles on/off during heavy periods of rain.... you never know what Mother Nature will bring! Do not depend solely upon your primary sump pump or that the local electrical utility will always provide your home with commercial electrical power. Think of a battery back-up sump pump as a flood insurance policy in your basement or crawlspace. Speaking of insurance policy's, are you aware that most homeowner insurance policy's do not cover flooding? It's a lot cheaper installing a battery back-up sump pump than it is to replace your furnace, furnishings and/or finished basement. A battery back-up sump pump also provides peace of mind when you're not at home. Remember the Chicago area floods that took place in 1996, 2007, 2008 & now again in 2009 ? Don't be one of the many homeowners who failed to install a battery back-up sump pump prior to those record floods.

• The average life span for your primary sump pump is approximately 5 to 8 years depending upon use and depending upon the quality of the pump. Like any electrical appliance, a sump pump will only last so long. Pump motors will eventually burn out due to constant use. Float switches will become faulty. Water inlet impellers will clog. Twice per year, you should pull your sump pump, disconnect it and clean the impellers. Consider getting a replacement sump pump installed before your primary sump pump fails. When purchasing a new sump pump, purchase a quality pump that will discharge the most gallons of water per minute that you can afford to buy (above 4,000 GPH is considered a decent pump). The larger the horse-power rating of the motor, the better (1/2 hp's are better than 1/3 hp's). Stay away from the cheap sump pumps, this is one electrical appliance you don't want to be cheap with!  A quality sump pump costs around $200 or more. Cheap pumps that cost less are noted for smaller horsepower motors, they pump less gallons per hour, more prone to failure and a minimal warranty period. Like the old saying goes, you get what you pay for! When replacing the sump pump, don't forget to replace the check valve and install it in the correct directional flow. If you're a handy homeowner, also consider purchasing a spare sump pump, check valve, some 1 1/4" & 1 1/2" plumbing PVC pipe, male/female threaded PVC fittings, couplings, purple primer and PVC glue. Have these items readily available - just in case you need them. There are few home improvement stores open at 2:00am when you might need to swap out your sump.
• Consider purchasing an electrical power loss alerting device and plug it into a centrally located receptacle in your home such as a main hallway. In the event of a loss of commercial electrical power during a storm or while your asleep, the alerting device will alarm you so that you can be prepared.

• Be prepared for prolonged periods of rain and loss of commercial electrical power, consider purchasing one additional battery with a trickle charger to act as a standby for your existing battery back-up sump pump. Also consider installing a solar trickle charger for your backup batteries. Remember. your batteries will only charge if you have commercial electrical power (120V) to them. If you sustain a prolonged power outage and you are soley dependant upon your battery backup sump pump, better have another form of power readily available. Replace and maintain the battery in your back-up sump pump as recommended by the manufacturer. For even longer periods during the loss of commercial electrical power, you should also know how to de-install the battery in your car or truck in the event you need it for your battery back-up sump pump. If your battery back-up sump pump goes into back-up mode, you can expect on average about 8 hours of run time (depends upon number of pumping cycles). After 8 hours or so, you may need additional batteries to keep going during prolonged periods of electrical power outages. Thus the reason for having back-up batteries readily available during an emergency. For even greater protection and "peace-of-mind", consider installing a Standby Backup Generator.