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September 15, 2017 at 2:59 pm

Educating Children About Electrical Safety

children electrical safetyIt’s fairly common for kids to be curious, and this behavior allows them to discover things around them. Unfortunately, this may also lead to accidents and injuries, especially when they don’t know the real dangers in their surroundings. This is the reason why teaching them about children electrical safety that is one of the priorities that any adult should do.

Facts and Figures on Electrical Safety

Electrocution is a nasty accident that you don’t want children to get involved with. Here are some alarming facts about electricity-related accidents:

  •       According to the National Safety Council, electricity is the sixth most common cause of work-related injuries in the U.S.
  •       Electricity leads to at least 140,000 fires annually, which consequently burns down $1.6 billion worth of property.
  •       Based on data from Statistic Brain, more than 2,500 children experience electrical shock from wall outlets every year.

How To Teach Kids About Electrical Safety

You can do a lot on your own to make sure that your child’s room is safe, but teaching them about electrical safety can do even more to protect them. Consider some of these steps and concepts when walking your child through the ins and outs of electrical safety.

Explain how electricity travels from source to point of use

When they’re old enough to understand, educate kids on how electricity is carried from the power company to the wall outlets at home. This tip may require you to do a little research, but this can definitely save kids from electrical shock.

Tell them what things can conduct electricity

Letting them know the things that allow electrical current to travel will give them clues on what not to touch whenever there’s electricity near. Items such as metals and tap water conduct electricity, while rubber and hard plastic are perfect insulators.

Unplug appliances when not in use

Although plugged appliances may seem innocent, this may increase the risk of potential short circuits or power overload. Teach your kids to turn off electrical devices that are not in use, and unplug them if they’re not going to be used for a long period of time.

Be firm in dos and don’ts

Instilling discipline at an early age gives direction to children. With that, make sure to tell them not to poke their fingers into wall outlets, or stick anything in those areas. Advise them to always have their hands dry before handling electrical appliances.

Conclusion on children electrical safety

You can never be too careful in terms of protecting children from the risks of electrocution. By teaching them about electrical safety at an early age, you can help them become more alert and watchful. When it comes to using electrical appliances and power lines, they will be knowledgeable.You can also work to make your home safer for your children. Again, children electrical safety is a priority.

Reach out to Wire Craft and we’ll send one of our electricians to inspect your home. This will ensure everything is safe and in working order for your whole family.

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August 31, 2017 at 10:09 pm

What is a Brownout and How Do You Protect Your Home From It?

brownout

What is a Brownout and How Do You Protect Your Home From It?

Summer brings a lot of fun and excitement to life, giving people a perfect opportunity to enjoy the beach with family and friends or barbecuing out on the yard. Unfortunately, the warm season also increases the electrical load, which may cause power interruptions in the form of blackouts or brownouts. If you want to maximize the fun of summer, you need to protect your home from a brownout.

What is a Brownout?

In a nutshell, a brownout is the result of a power fluctuation caused by voltage drops in the electrical system. The term comes from the “browning” or dimming of lighting fixtures due to the voltage change. An extreme voltage drop may lead to total power outage or interruption, which is called a blackout.

Seasonal brownouts occur during summer, when a lot of people find the need to stay in air-conditioned rooms to protect themselves from the harsh heat of the sun. Some of the common causes of brownouts include:

Electrical system overload:

Using a lot of electrical appliances and equipment may cause an abnormal surge in power requirement, which can overload your electrical system.

Faulty electrical circuits:

With wear and tear in your home comes a potential damage in your electrical wiring.

Weather conditions:

Thunderstorms may interfere with the distribution of power in your grid, thereby causing voltage slumps.

Tips To Protect Your Home From A Brownout

Brownouts – or any power fluctuation for that matter – may damage your home appliances and shorten the life of your lighting fixtures. Here are some things that you can do to protect your home from potential damage when a brownout strikes.

Limit the use of power-hungry appliances.

 Some electrical home appliances such as the washing machine or air conditioner require a lot of electricity to get them running. Make sure that you regulate the use of these items as much as you can.

Turn on only the appliances that you will use. 

Sure, it’s going to be convenient for you to switch all of your gadgets and appliances on, but this will cause an unnecessary power requirement that may cause a brownout. In other words, turn on the items only when you’re going to use them.

Check your electrical circuits for damage. 

Look for corroded circuit breakers or bad terminals, and repair them immediately.

A brownout may look like a simple and innocent event, but it can cause a lot of problems when you fail to follow precautionary measures against it. Make sure that your home is ready for power interruptions and fluctuations when they strike. The best solution is to contact an electrician to help you prepare your home before the next brownout happens. That’s where Wire Craft can help. Our team of electricians can help you get your home ready for whatever the summer heat and power surges bring your way. Reach out to us today and we’ll work with you to protect your home.

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August 25, 2017 at 9:03 pm

Installing Ceiling Fans to Beat the Summer Heat

ceiling fans

In Washington state, you’d be hard pressed to find a home with air conditioning installed. As the Seattle Times reports, fewer and fewer homes in Washington actually have AC. It can make sense throughout the fall and winter – why invest in something you won’t need most of the time? That sentiment might change once summer heat hits. If you don’t want to make the leap to AC, a ceiling fan can be a great way to keep you house cool as well as being a fun DIY project. Not sure how to do it? Here’s a high-level overview of ceiling fan installation.

Before you Begin Installing Any Ceiling Fans

Make sure your work area is clear and everything is laid out neatly nearby. Turn off the electricity and make a note that it should not be turned back on until you are finished. Read through the installation instructions and keep them close at hand for reference if you need them later.

The next step is to chose an existing light fixture and remove the wires, mounting nuts and screws. Once the fixture has been removed inspect the joist to ensure that it will hold your fan. If needed, install the ceiling fans support brace. You are now ready to begin the installation steps.

Step One: Mounting Bracket

Attach the mounting bracket to the ceiling box, during this step be sure to follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions. It is recommended to use the motor extensions provided, when a fan is mounted without an extension the ceiling can restrict airflow.

Step Two: Wiring

Connect the house wiring with the wires to your fans motor. Follow the instructions to ensure you properly connect all your wires. Be sure to secure all connections with wire nuts. Be aware that remote control ceiling fans will have additional wires you will need to connect to the receiving unit.

Step Three: Attachments

Mount the fan canopy cover, this covers the fixture and the mounting bracket opening. Attach your fan blades and brackets to the fan motor and tighten all of your mounting screws. If your ceiling fan comes equipped with light fixtures attach the fixture assembly and switch housing to the fan motor assembly. Follow the manufacturer’s wiring instructions and install your bulbs and glass dome.

Step Four: Install Wall Switch

Most fans operate much like standard fixtures with a simple on/off switch. Some higher end fans have fan speed and dimmer functions. These often will need to have a new wall switch installed due to the added complexity of functions.

Not a DIY person? Need some help for your fan installation? No problem at all, Wire Craft can help. Reach out to us today and you can discuss your ceiling fan needs with one our electricians. We’ll help find the right fan option for you.

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August 18, 2017 at 10:12 pm

Four DIY Electrical Projects You Can Start Today

4 DIY Electrical Projects You Can Start Today

Home electrical wiring is serious business. Even if you’re avid about having DIY projects to do around your home, your home’s electrical systems can rightfully feel a bit daunting – we’ve even warned about knowing your DIY limits on this very blog. But for those who are eager to get a summertime project going around the house, there are still some easy tasks you can set for yourself that can really make a difference for you and your family.

Consider taking up some of these odd jobs around the home to help keep your home running efficiently.

Replacing Switches

Faulty switches can be a real nuisance, but they’re also surprisingly easy to fix. As with the rest of the projects listed in this post, you’ll want to make sure the power is turned off from the circuit breaker before you get started. After that it’s a matter of grabbing new switches and plates as well as a voltage detector from your local hardware store. Dummies lists a handy step-by-step guide that on how to do this safely and efficiently.

Fixing or Upgrading Light Fixtures

Flickering lights driving you crazy? Or maybe you’re just wanting a new look for your home? Replacing some light fixtures can be a great day project to give your home a minor but helpful improvement. While some fixtures like track lighting might be a bit out of scope for those who aren’t professionals, some standard fixtures don’t take much effort at all and are a remarkably similar process to replacing light switches.

Replacing Outlets

There are few things more infuriating than an outlet that doesn’t work when you need it. Rather than wait until you can have someone come out and fix it for you, this is another task that is within the range of your own toolkit. With the power off, you can remove the face and outlet from the wall, test the power, and reattach to your new outlet in no time.

Mapping Your Circuit Breaker

We don’t suggest getting to into the weeds with your home’s main power. However, you can do some housekeeping with your circuit breaker. This organizational practice can save you and your electrician a lot of headaches down the road. Go through each of the breaker controls on your panel and note which one corresponds with which rooms and outlets. You may have to switch them on and off to determine what goes to what. After that, you can label each switch and not have to think about it ever again.

These projects are great way to get you started. By all means don’t feel like you have to do them alone. Our expert electricians at Wire Craft are available to help with tasks big and small. Don’t try and take off more than you can chew – let us help. Reach out to Wire Craft today.

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August 8, 2017 at 10:08 pm

Maintaining Your Summer Home

summer home

If you have a summer home, especially one a good distance away from your primary home, you know how hard it can be to keep it up. More than just brushing off the dust off surfaces, you also need to check and make sure everything electrical is working properly when its been sitting idly for so long. Consider these ideas to help keep your summer home functional and safe even when you’re not there on vacation.

Think Ahead The Next Time You Leave Your Summer Home

With enough foresight, you can make a world of difference in maintaining your summer home. The next time you venture out for a getaway, take some time at the beginning and the end of your trip to do some routine maintenance. Check for rust or condensation in your wiring and clean up any residue. Your vacation time is valuable, but setting aside just a little bit of time can ensure that your home is good for the rest of your trip.

Upgrade Your Wiring and Appliances

One of the best ways to limit electrical mishaps is to make sure you’re home is completely up-to-date. This is especially true for summer homes, which often don’t get nearly as much attention as your main home. If you’re vacation spot is an older home, you may want to consider checking and seeing if you need to rewire the whole thing. Otherwise, upgrading your appliances, outlets, and other electrical devices will minimize the risk of a faulty cable giving you issue when you’re gone.

Hire an Electrician to Inspect Your Home

Sometimes you just simply can’t get out to your summer home as much as you’d like. This is especially if you live a fair distance away the rest of the year. Even if the house is empty, you still don’t want to run the risk of a wiring issue. The best thing you can do is to hire an electrician to come out to your home and do an inspection. You can request a thorough report back. Ideally they’ll come back without much at all. However, it’s better to have peace of mind than a disaster to have to clean up later on.

Looking for an electrician to check out your summer home in the Seattle area?

Wire Craft’s team of electricians can help. Experts in our field, our electricians will check through every nook and cranny to make sure your home is safe. Even while you’re away and ready to go when you return.

Give us a call today.

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July 19, 2017 at 8:48 pm

Dangers of Aluminum Wiring in the Summer

aluminum wiring in the summer

Summertime and the living’s easy…right? That’s not necessarily true if you have aluminum wiring in the summer at your home. There’s a lot of reasons why aluminum wiring has become outdated, but many older homes still have it in their homes. The summer adds even more concerns for your wiring – especially if you’re living in an older home. It’s important to know exactly what those issues are and why it’s important to make a change. We walk through some of them below and give you direction on what to do next.

Summer Heat Expands Wiring

In general, aluminum wiring in the summer will always expand more than the new standard of copper wiring. So when the summer rolls along and heatwaves come in, your home’s aluminum wiring is going to feel it maybe even more than you do. As the wiring expands, it closes in the space between the wire and the connectors. This is a major fire hazard, especially if it comes into contact with any flammable materials that might be within your walls.

Wiring Working Overtime to Keep You Cool

Aside from the external factors of the weather, you and/or your family might be putting strains on your wiring as well. Running A/C or fans means your wiring is working overtime to keep you cool. The more work you’re putting on your wiring, the hotter they’ll get and, well, you now know what that can lead to. There are steps you can take to more efficiently use electricity in the summer months, but if you’re using aluminum wiring then even the best habits can still lead to disastrous results. What do you do then?

Transitioning out of Aluminum Wiring in the Summer

You’re left with a choice – do you keep your aluminum wiring and try to tip-toe around its faults and hope for the best or do you make a change? We’d strongly recommend the latter. No one wants to live in fear of their wiring shorting or causing a fire, especially in the summer when you should be relaxing and enjoying the warm, rare Seattle weather. However, summer is also a great time to rewire your home. Unlike the winter where the electrical downtime can leave you out in the cold, take advantage of the tepid summer and bring in an electrician to get your home set. This isn’t just an investment in getting through the season, but a longterm solution to keeping you and yours safe.

Convinced now is the time to finally rewire your home? Wire Craft can help! Our team of home electricians have helped homeowners across the greater Seattle area.

Contact us today and we’ll set up a consultation and help create a plan for rewiring your home. Summer is fun – so let us take some of the stress out of your walls.

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July 7, 2017 at 9:23 pm

What to do in a Summer Blackout

summer blackout

Typically when we talk about preparing for summer blackout, the conversation centers on how to stay warm and push through the harsh winter. But during a heatwave where circuits are being overloaded from people blasting their AC and fans, you’ll find you a whole other set of challenges to face. How do you keep cool, keep your food, and stay prepared for a summer blackout? We’ll show you how.

Invest in a Generator

First and foremost, if it’s vital that you have power ASAP then you’ll want to have a generator handy.  For families with specific medical needs that require machinery or just people who are running a business from home, sometimes you can’t afford to have any downtime. Whether you invest in a portable or standby generator is up to you, but either will help you get your home running power again quickly.

Stock Up on Water and Non-Perishable Food

Those jugs of water you’ve been keeping in the garage have a purpose. While most plumbing systems don’t require electricity to function, there are some concerns to consider other than lacking hot water. The CDC points out that a widespread power outage might affect water purification systems. You can go through the purification yourself by boiling water, but you can also invest in bottled water and storage gallons to get you through while you wait for the power to come back.

With your fridge temporarily out of water, one of your best bets is investing in non-perishable foods. Typically this means pre-packaged and canned foods that don’t require cooking. If you have an outdoor grill or camping stove handy, you can use those to cook. A cooler will help you keep food for a couple days, but you’ll quickly find yourself running to the store to buy more ice (assuming they still have power as well).

Keeping the House Cool Without A/C During Summer Blackout

We’ve talked here before about keeping cool in the summer without breaking the bank, but what about when you don’t have any power at all? Summer blackouts often happen from too many people trying to run their cooling systems at the same time, meaning it’s pretty stinkin’ hot out! Without power, being in your own house can feel miserable. Instead of hiding in the car and blasting the air conditioning, first take a look around your house. Make sure you have the blinds down so that the sun won’t come in and heat things up. Wait to open your windows at night when you’ll hopefully be able to let in a cool breeze. Also try and stock up on battery operated fans. Having a few handy is always a good idea. They’ll likely be in high-demand if there’s a widespread blackout, so invest in some now before they become a necessity.

Has the power gone out in your home and you’re not sure why? Don’t wait and suffer it out in the summer heat.

Call Wire Craft today and we’ll send one of our expert electricians to inspect your home. We will identify the problem, and help you figure out the next steps. Summer blackouts aren’t any more fun than winter outages – make sure your home is properly prepared this season.

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June 23, 2017 at 9:09 pm

Summer Storms and Protecting Your Home

summer stormsIn Seattle, we often think of summer as the one refuge away from the stormy and gloomy weather. And while Seattle summers can be gorgeous, they also can often result in lightning storms. Is your home prepared for any damage these storms can do to your home wiring and appliances? Here are a few ways to prepare yourselves for summer storms.

Watch the Weather for Upcoming Summer Storms

The biggest mistakes come from not paying attention. In the summertime, when you get accustomed to all the sun ano clear skies, it’s easy to disregard watching the weather reports or checking them on your phone. Who needs that when you can just look outside and see the sun? Well, as many longtime Northwesterners will tell you, the weather in Seattle can change on a dime. Even if we’re in the middle of a heatwave, you’ll want to double check to prepare yourself and your home. Knowing if there’s a storm coming will give you vital time to make sure you have your home in order and have your electronics setup properly.

Whole-House Surge Protectors

A whole-house surge protector is a device that’s plugged into your homes’s main electrical service box. What they do is monitor what electricity is allowed to come into your house, protecting your appliances and electronics should something like lightning strike. The voltage from lighting could fry your home devices, setting you back more than just a few dollars. Whole-house surge protectors are becoming more and more common in newer houses, typically added in development, but there’s no guarantee that everyone house has one and older homes are less likely to already have one in place. Check your service box to ensure that one is installed – never assume that to be the case.

Outlet Surge Protectors

Whole-house surge protectors aren’t terribly cheap, but they are a worthwhile investment. If you’re not in a place where you feel that you can make that kind of purchase, outlet surge protectors will at least give your home some protection. As the name would imply, these are devices you plug into your wall and then plug your appliances into the device, much like you would with a power strip. This will help block excess electricity from harming your electronics. They can be a great failsafe and back-up should a spike electricity hits your home. These are also highly recommended for people living in older apartments.

Back-up Generators

Even with all the prep you can do for your own home, there’s still a chance that a power line goes down and you’re left waiting for the city to take care of it. Depending on where you live, this can be done quickly or take days. If you can’t afford to have downtime from electricity, it’s a good plan to have a back-up generator on hand. Finding the right generator for your needs can be difficult; thankfully we’ve already created a guide to help you decide what will work for you.

Need help installing surge protectors or buying a generator to protect your home from summer storms? Our team of expert electricians at Wire Craft can help.

Give us a call and we’ll schedule a time to walk through your home and make a plan to get you storm ready.

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June 19, 2017 at 10:41 pm

Preparing Your Home’s Electrical Use for Summer

electrical use for summer

Just like how meter rates typically rise in the winter from people using their heat, AC/fans can take a toll on your electricity bill as well. However, there are steps you can take to make your home more energy efficient in these high usage months. Consider some of these creative ways to keep your house cool and your energy usage low.

Use Fans and A/C Sparingly

Most people know that running their fans or A/C throughout the day is going to cause their bill to speak, but when you’re in the middle of a heatwave it’s easy to push those thoughts to the side and stay cool. That’s understandable and if you have the option to lower the heat, why wouldn’t you just turn the fan on? What it really comes down to is deciding when you’re going to use your cooling systems.

It’s tempting to leave a fan on in the other room so it’s nice and comfortable when you walk in later, but that’s money coming out of your wallet every second. There’s a mild inconvenience waiting for the temperature to drop after you turn it on, but saving your A/C time to only when you’re in the room will benefit you in the long run.

Mind Your Windows

People will often open their windows during the day in the summer months to let a breeze in and naturally cool off the house. This comes with really good intentions, maybe even with the mindset to lower your electricity bill, but it actually can have the inverse effect. Keeping your windows shut during the day will actually help keep out and maintain the temperature in your home. If things cool off at night, you can go ahead and open the windows then and you’ll definitely get the benefit of the breeze without inadvertently raising the heat. Also consider investing in drapes and blinds. By keeping your windows covered, you can block sunlight from entering your home and making you boil.

Create Less Heat Yourself

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.” In the summer months, you might want to create your own motto: “If you can’t stand any more heat, limit your time in the kitchen.” Summer heat means you have to change up your own routine to make sure you’re not contributing to adding more heat. Obviously you have to cook sometime, but try and use less time with the oven. Maybe it’s a great time to try whipping up a fresh summer salad or wraps – something that won’t mean turning the oven on.

Dryers can also raise the temperature in your homes. Instead, make the summer weather work in your favor and hang dry your clothes and wash your clothes in cold water. Even when it’s hot out, a warm shower is often preferable to a cold one. There’s no need to force yourself into an icy shower; just change up your routine and take showers at night instead when it won’t heat up your home.

Upgrading Appliances to Improve Electrical Use for Summer

For a long term solution, maybe it’s time to upgrade your home appliances. We’ve extolled the virtues of Energy Star appliances before and how they can help lower your bill. It’s important to note that you won’t likely reap the benefits right away – it takes a while before the savings outweighs the upfront cost of buying a new dishwasher. But this is a step to preparing for those future summer months and other year round savings you want to take advantage of.

Need some help getting your home read to beat the heat? Wire Craft can help. Reach out to us today and we’ll have one of our electricians help you walk through your home and find ways to make your home more energy efficient.

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June 9, 2017 at 7:10 pm

How to Find the Right Generator for Your Home

How to Find the Right Generator for Your Home

As electricians, we don’t ever hope for someone’s power to go out. However, sometimes an issue or violent weather happens that makes it unavoidable. This is especially true in the Northwest, with winter windstorms and occasional snow leaving many without power. Seattleites may even remember the equipment failure earlier this year that left 20,000 people without power. Situations like these are unpredictable, even if you’re doing everything to try and save power.

If you do want to prepare yourself for the unexpected, maybe it’s time to start considering investing in a power generator. There’s nothing worse than being stuck without power for days on end and many homes within city limits aren’t equipped to handle your needs without electricity, relying on central electric heating. Having a generator handy can make all the difference. It’s not something you ever really want to use, but having a generator in your garage can be the difference between being stuck in the cold and staying safe and comfortable. Generators don’t have to be a massive, complicated investment, either. We’ll walk through what specs to look for and how to stay within your budget.

Portable vs. Standby

There are essentially two types of generators you need to know: portable and standby. You can infer a lot just from their names. Somewhat obviously, portable generators are ones that you can move around from place to place. If you’ve ever watched someone pull a generator out of their garage to get the power going again, this is a portable generator. In contrast, a standby generator is one that’s implemented more-or-less as a permanent fixture outside your home. They automatically will start running as soon as the power goes out.

Whereas you can sometimes get a portable generator for as low as a few hundred dollars, standby generators are going to start in the thousands range. What it comes down to is how much you’re willing to invest and what your commitment is to ease of use. What’s nice about the standby generators is that you don’t have to lift a finger. They’ll take care of themselves and you won’t miss a beat. However, if you’re not planning on living in your home for the long haul then it’s a costly investment that you can’t take with you. A portable generator will stick with you as long as you want to move it around, but it requires much more work to use and can be especially annoying when you’re trying to set up in the dark during a snowstorm. There’s no right or wrong answer here – it’s about what works best for you.

Decide How Much Power You Need

Is your refrigerator running? Well you better go… get the proper generator to accommodate its electrical needs. Jokes aside, one of the main factors in buying a generator is going to determine on your intended use. Do you want a generator that’s just going to keep the lights on or are you trying to keep everything from your HVAC to freezer working? If you’re leaning toward the latter, double check your appliances and see what their wattage needs are.

How Long Will You Need Power

How long do you like to keep you appliances on?

Some people are fine with turning on their generators at key times. This is just to get some basic housework on-going, like cooking or using the washroom.

However, if for whatever reason you need to keep the power on for longer than you need a generator. You can also check your home’s electrical panel to see what the maximum wattage your home can take. After that, find a generator that matches those needs.

Feeling like it’s time to invest in a generator but not sure what’s right for the limitations of your home? Wire Craft can help so just give us a call.

Our team of electricians will help you find the right generator for you. We can also help proof your home from other potential issues like wiring and repairing faulty outlets.

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