It’s important to remember while enjoying the summer weather, while outside or around the home, that there could be a variety of electrical hazards lingering. While not obvious at first, these issues could cause very serious (and potentially fatal) injury through electric shock. Our team at Expert Electric has created a list of common outdoor and indoor hazards to be aware of this summer.

Stay away from power lines with your body, toys, sticks, or anything an electrical current could travel down. Power lines transport extremely high voltage electrical energy. Venturing too close to a power line can create an opportunity for the electricity to flow to your body or object resulting in serious injury. If you see a fallen power line, call 911 immediately.

Ensure all your outdoor electrical receptacles around the exterior of your home or shed are covered, clean and dry. If water or dirt enters the outlet it can result in electrical surges and shocks when the outlet is next used. Receptacle covers can be purchased at most home renovation retail stores.

Keep all power cords, string lights and electrical devices away from ponds, swimming pools, hot tubs or sprinklers. Summer can lend itself to a lot of splashing and water flying through the air. If water comes into contact with an electrical device there is a high risk of electrical shock. Do your best to keep electrical devices at a distance from the pool and water fights.

Ensure that you have GFCI’s (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets installed in certain areas of your home – namely rooms with running water mainly (bathroom, kitchen, garage, basement, pool rooms, etc.). These outlets can prevent electrical shock from happening with specially designed safety mechanisms.

In an emergency, know where your circuit breakers are and how to turn them off safely. When a panicked situation occurs, it can be easy to become confused and flustered. If you are knowledgeable interacting with your circuit breaker you will be more confident in the event of an emergency.

Before plugging in a fan, make sure that it is clean and there are no wires frayed or damaged. Occulting fans are often stored for most of the year. During storage power cords can become damaged and electrical wires exposed. Exposed wires leave you vulnerable to electrical shock when the fan is plugged in again.

Be sure to have any portable air conditioning units securely positioned and electrical cords tucked away. These are tripping hazards that can lead to either electrical shock or a heavy unit falling down. It’s also important to follow the manufacturers instructions on maintaining and servicing the unit to prevent damage to the home’s electrical system and personal injury.

It is important to be aware of potential electrical hazards in order to identify and avoid them. Our team of trained and licensed electricians are happy to help you ensure your home and family are safe from electrical hazards. If you would like more information on electrical safety tips to be aware of during the summer or general, contact Expert Electric today at 604-681- 8338.

Are you sporting the latest in mobile technology? Smartphones, tablets, and various mobile devices are all the rage these days, going out of date faster than the milk souring in your fridge. And while you’re likely spending a lot of money keeping up with them, it’s a good bet you haven’t bothered keeping up with the outlets that keep them powered for your convenience.

Besides preventing you from plugging in 3-prong appliances, ungrounded 2-prong outlets present a substantial safety risk: a risk of electrical shock to you, and a risk of frying your expensive electronics.

Simply replacing that old 2-pronger for a 3-prong outlet will NOT solve the problem, but instead create an electrocution and appliance hazard. Rewiring the panel with a 3-wire circuit is crucial to providing the necessary ground. You may also consider upgrading to a GFCI , which is less expensive and prevents shock-related issues, but this solution will not provide the necessary ground to protect sensitive electronics.

Without properly grounded outlets, surge protection is a no-go. Whether you buy a $10 surge protector or a $200 one, it offers no protection whatsoever to your appliances without adequate ground.

GFCIs protect you from electrical shock in rooms with increased risks, such as those that could be exposed to water. GFCIs are identified by the “test” and “reset” buttons on receptacles. These devices save lives by immediately stopping the flow of current when it travels along an unintended path - such as into you. They are currently required for use with dishwashers, in baths, kitchens, laundries, garages/utility rooms, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, spa/pool areas, and home exteriors.

Upgrade to GFCI outlets. It’s not worth putting your family at risk to postpone this upgrade. Fear not if your home is older. GFCIs work with or without grounding, and are easy and inexpensive to install.

The CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) estimates the installation of GFCIs in household branch circuits could prevent more than 200 electrocutions and thousands of electrical shocks and burns in and around the home annually.

It’s not the mess, the whining, or the drooling, it’s those childproof outlets your home is missing. In older outlets, all a child has to do is stick an object in a single prong to suffer electrical injury. Whether children live with you or only come for the occasional visit, childproof outlets offer inexpensive, effective protection against dangerous electrical shocks and burns resulting from tampering.

Adding childproof outlets is a simple and inexpensive child protection solution. Childproof outlets require the use of equal pressure in all prongs of the outlet simultaneously in order to allow for the flow of electricity. They are just as easy to use as traditional plugs for adults, yet still provide essential protection for children. Upgrading to childproof outlets is simple, permanent, and inexpensive, mere pennies more than traditional receptacles. They are so effective that they are now required in all newly built homes.

Of the over 2,400 electrical shocks and burns resulting from children toying with outlets annually, 70 percent occur in the presence of adults.

These outlet types are mandated in new homes today because unlike their predecessors, whose main function is merely to deliver electricity, these outlets save lives. Still not convinced? Consider the small cost of upgrading the outlets in your home to the enormous cost of dealing with any of the situations above. You might think your home safe, but is it?

Upgrade your outlets – not your smartphone. They’ve been patient long enough. Contact Mr. Electric® today.

During a recent trip down to Washington, DC I stopped by the National Mall to tour the astonishingly energy efficient homes on display as part of the Department of Energy’s Solar Decathalon.  The Solar Decathlon is one of the DOE’s signature programs to promote cutting edge design and green techonology.