You may have heard the term GFCI from your electrician before. But what exactly does it mean? And is that type of outlet really necessary in your home or building?

We all know that water and electricity don’t mix. That’s what makes electrical outlets in kitchens, bathrooms, and other rooms where water is used so tricky. To reduce the chance of electrocutions, burns, and shocks, virtually all North American building codes require that ground fault circuit interrupter outlets (GFCIs) be installed where there is water nearby. GFCI outlets have a built-in circuit breaker that instantly stops the flow of electricity when it senses a surge.

A GFCI outlet not only helps keep you and your family or building occupants from getting shocks and burns, but it helps prevent electrical fires. In the even that there is an electrical fire, it can lessen the severity and any damage.

A GFCI outlet is important not only to meeting local building code requirements, but also to help prevent potentially-fatal accidents.

GFCI outlets are designed with a red button that activates the outlet after the built-in breaker is tripped, and a black button that tests the outlet to make sure that the breaker is working properly. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that all ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets be tested in the following intervals:

To test your ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets, plug a lamp into the outlet. Turn the lamp on and push the black test button. If the lamp goes out, the outlet is working properly. If the lamp remains lit, contact a licensed electrician to evaluate the problem. Electrical and wiring issues make poor DIY projects and are best left to electricians who are trained to safely handle electrical current and wiring.

At Kolb Electric, we want to help you keep your home or building safe in the Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC areas. We can save you time by inspecting and testing all of the ground-fault circuit interrupter outlets in your interior space and addressing any electrical issues we may discover during the tests. To learn more about electrical safety and GFCI outlets and/or to schedule a service appointment, call us at 877 287-1179. We’ve been helping Mid-Atlantic homeowners like you with their electrical needs since 1925.

So, it’s time to sell your home and you’re making upgrades here and there to increase its value. That’s a great idea, but have you spoken to a Dallas electrician yet about potential lighting upgrades? All it takes is a little lighting knowhow and you can increase your home’s value well beyond the initial investment you make before it goes on the market. Here are a few simple ideas from a certified electrician to inspire you.

For more on how lighting can increase your home’s value, please contact a certified electrician at ElectricMan today. ElectricMan is your trusted, local Dallas electrician with 27 years of experience. For more information, visit the ElectricMan website. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

High temperatures cause conductors to expand and hence increase in length. The converse is true for low temperature conditions. The change in length varies from one conductor to another depending on its thermal expansivity. The length of copper conductors, for instance, changes by 5 feet per 1000 feet of length when the conductor temperature changes from 100 – 0°, while aluminum changes by about 7 feet. The length increases with increase in temperature and reduces with reduction in temperature.

This increase or decrease in length is of great concern when installing power transmission lines between poles and towers, or when installing other power connectors. There must be an allowance for this change in length since it can cause catastrophes if it’s not there.

Weather changes are associated with increase and decrease in temperature and thus affect power transmission lines and other conductors. However, change in temperature is only one factor that affects power lines. Below are the changes that occur to power lines and other conductors as a result of weather changes:

The amount of heat dissipated from power conductors is reduced during hot and calm weather conditions. Basically, if the temperature of air around the cable is low, more heat is lost from the cable to the air. If the air is already hot, the exchange of heat is lesser. This low heat dissipation causes the lines to overheat. However, the rise in conductor temperature (overheating) worsens when cables are transmitting too much power than required. The first effect of this increased conductor temperature is snagging, which is the downward bulging of the cable between two poles, caused by the increase in the length of cables.

Snagging is largest during extreme hot weather (largest increase in temperature) conditions experienced in summer. The increase in length results to downward bulging of the cable due to the effect of gravity. Excessive sagging is dangerous if it goes below the accepted height clearance – cables could come into contact with trees, buildings and other structures underneath, causing electrocution and fires.

Excessive sagging represent an added weight on the power line and this increase may cause the line to fail or to pull down weak poles and towers. The effects can be small but gradual and so the poles and towers will finally come down or require some adjustment/replacement after some time, which is costly. This sagging can also cause the lines to short out. Excessive sagging is also costly since it leads to increased electrical resistance. This means that a sagged power line transmits lesser current than it normally does, thus causing under-feeding of electrical equipment and industries. It is also costly and time consuming to rectify a sag.