Warm weather and clear skies means it is finally barbeque season once again! May is National Barbeque Month, and we are definitely in the festive spirit. But before you get ready to fire up the grill and bust out the pool rafts, make electrical safety a priority. It might be time for an outdoor outlet upgrade to keep your parties running smoothly this summer.

So just what do you need when it comes to outdoor electrical outlets? Make certain to have ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) installed outdoors for your outlets to protect from serious electrical problems. It’s also always a good idea to have additional outlets installed if possible, especially if find yourself running extension cords across your deck that have become a safety hazard.

Don’t overlook the manual warning of certain appliances that say “not for outdoor use.” It’s always safer to double-check before running into a problem later on. Make sure that electrical appliances are unplugged and turned off when not in use or left unattended.

Just like your outlets and appliances, extension cords need to be rated for outdoor use when you are using them in your backyard. If you must have extension cords running across your backyard during a barbeque, make sure to keep it out of the walkway and away from where children will be playing.

If a rainstorm begins while you’re working as a master chef outside on your electric grill, don’t be a hero for the burgers. Stay safe and head into the kitchen with a backup plan to avoid the risk of electric shock.

Don’t kick off barbeque season without getting pools and spas inspected by an electrician who can make sure you’re backyard is safe and ready for the summer. This is also a good time to make sure you know where electrical circuits and breakers are in case of an emergency.

If you need any help making your backyard barbeque-ready, our professionals can make your electrical renovations and fix-ups a breeze.

You might be a fan of their appearance, but aluminum light poles bring more to the table than just their looks. Whether you opt for squared or rounded varieties, these light poles have become more popular than ever. This is thanks to their impressive ratio of strength to weight, as they are sturdy while still being lightweight. Additionally, they feature a high resistance to corrosion. These advantages, coupled with their recyclability, make aluminum light poles a perfect match for sustainable projects and harsher environments.

Aluminum is a great material to use when you’re prioritizing strength and reliability. However, just as important as the variety of light pole is the installation procedure. If your poles don’t have proper installation, you could be losing out on the benefits of the lights. A sloppy installation by the wrong people compromises everything from the reliability of the lights to your safety.

Not all vibration is bad, but the destructive form of it can cause serious damage over time as cracks begin to form and then spread along the pole’s side. If the pole’s movements are not equal in either direction, it is simply usual sway, and therefore no reason for concern.

On the other hand, if it is constantly moving back and forth an equal distance, with the motion based at the center of the pole’s shaft and not on top, you’re seeing potentially destructive vibration. Eventually, this can lead to the pole shaft cracking and falling, breaking just above the part of the base where the weld held it together.

Several factors contribute to pole vibration. These include the pole shape, the surrounding environment and the installation. Whoever performs the installation needs to follow the appropriate guidelines for the size and type of pole, as each pole can handle a certain load. If your installer uses the wrong light fixture, destructive vibrations could be inevitable.

Every installation job will have its requirements, based on the client’s needs as well as the location in question. One aspect that doesn’t change, however, is the importance of safety. Light pole installations fall under the umbrella of electrical work, which is always a dangerous area for anyone who isn’t an expert. Any piece of electrical equipment improperly installed can become a safety hazard, and aluminum light poles are no exception.

Your installer must comply with local codes and requirements as applicable. As such, they need to provide proper electrical groundings. Failure to do so can be a serious violation of important safety regulations. Worse, it can lead to a very dangerous situation for you and anyone exposed to the light poles.

via Tooshlights.com

Ultimately, Tooshlights wants to improve the public restroom experience. “We’ve all been in a public restroom with a line out the door, and no way to tell if a stall is open, occupied or out of order without looking under the door or peeking through the crack,” Tooshlights.com

knuckle-mount LED flood light is designed for subdivision sign lighting, billboard lighting, building facade lighting, architectural wall washing, outdoor displays, and security lighting. This energy-efficient LED light consumes 70 watts of power and replaces 320-watt metal-halide (MH) fixtures.

Using eight groups of nine LEDs behind individual projector lenses, the flood light fixture emits 6,800 lumens of natural white illumination in a focused 80-degree beam pattern. This dark bronze LED light is constructed of a durable die cast aluminum housing and a shatter-resistant polycarbonate outer lens. An adjustable knuckle-mount bracket allows for aimable illumination, and the weatherproof fixture can be easily installed in outdoor junction boxes that have 1/2-inch threaded hubs.