Category Archives: Baby Proofing

When you use specific electrical devices or appliances in your Phoenix home, you run the risk of being shocked if something goes wrong. A GFCI outlet can significantly reduce this risk. These outlets are designed to protect you and your family from electrical shocks that can be deadly.

What Is a GFCI Outlet?

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet is a kind of outlet that\’s responsible for watching how much electricity moves through a circuit. Changes in this electrical flow cause the outlet to stop the flow of power. This helps prevent electrical shocks from occurring when you’re using a hair dryer or other device that you’re physically contacting. Without this type of outlet, you could end up being shocked if there’s a problem with the electrical system.

Is a GFCI Outlet the Same as a Breaker?

A GFCI outlet is not the same as a breaker, although both serve safety purposes. GFCI outlets protect people from electrical shock, while breakers safeguard homes from current overload. Breakers are designed to \”trip\” if too much current is drawn, preventing electrical fires from starting. A GFCI outlet also shuts off the circuit, but it doesn’t quite work the same way.

How Does a GFCI Outlet Work?

A GFCI outlet keeps track of the amount of current that flows through the hot and neutral conductors. The neutral or grounded conductor is the larger slot on the left on an outlet, while the hot or ungrounded conductor is the slot on the right. Normally, electricity should flow between the hot conductor and the neutral one.

A GFCI outlet watches for imbalances in this flow of electricity and trips the circuit immediately if it detects any. These imbalances can be very small, such as 4 or 5 milliamps, which helps provide reliable protection from electrical shock. The most important part of a GFCI is that when it senses that imbalance, it trips very fast – less than a tenth of a second which saves lives!

Why Do Current Imbalances Occur?

Current imbalances can occur when there\’s a problem that affects the grounding path from an electrical device to the ground part of an outlet. The ground is the hole that’s slightly below the slots in an outlet. When an imbalance occurs, the current can pass from the electrical device through the person using it rather than going to the ground. This can result in a potentially fatal shock.

A GFCI outlet expects the electrical current to flow between the hot conductor and the neutral one. When this doesn’t happen, which can occur when the current flows from the hot conductor through the user, the GFCI outlet trips the circuit.

Do GFCI Outlets Always Work?

A GFCI outlet does have a few limitations that you should be aware. It won’t trip the circuit if you happen to touch the hot and neutral conductors at the same time since it won’t detect an imbalance. This means you can get a severe or fatal shock from doing this.

GFCI outlets also won’t work as they should if installed incorrectly. This is why it’s essential to have an electrician wire these outlets if you have new ones installed.

You can tell if GFCI outlets are working correctly by using the test button on them before you use an electrical device. The button should shut the power to the outlet off if it’s working correctly.

Having various types of outlets installed, including a GFCI outlet, requires the assistance of a professional electrician. Contact Turn It On Electric to replace or install any electrical outlets in your home.

Your children are the most precious part of your life, so it’s understandable that you want them to be as safe as possible. Unfortunately, there is a wide range of potential hazards in your own home. In order to protect your children from harm and reduce the risk of falls, poisonings, burns, electrical shocks and other common causes of childhood injuries, it’s important to go through your entire home and do some childproofing. Keep the following checklist in mind, so you can make sure that your children live in a safe environment.

Poison Prevention

To lower the risk of accidental poisoning in your home, childproofing should include:

• Keep cleaning products, medications, and other toxic or potentially dangerous items out of children’s reach, such as in a childproof cabinet.
• Don’t keep toxic plants inside your home where your children can get to them.

Furniture Safety

To prevent cuts and potentially serious injuries from falling objects, you should take the following childproofing steps:

• Put corner guards on tables and other furniture items that have sharp edges on them.
• Attach bookcases and other heavy items that can fall over to the wall securely. This helps prevent them from tipping over onto your children.
• Mount flat-screen TVs to the wall rather than putting them in or on an entertainment center where they can easily fall over.

Sharp Objects

Sharp objects can be a serious hazard to children. Take these childproofing steps to prevent this from happening:

• Put locks on drawers where knives and other sharp objects are kept.
• Store other sharp items in storage bins and other containers that are kept out of your children’s reach at all times.

Burn Prevention

To reduce the risk of burns, which can send children to the emergency room, make sure that you follow these childproofing steps:

• Install a plastic stove guard to prevent children from being able to get to the burners.
• If you have a fireplace, make sure that there’s a screen or doors in front of it that are securely in place when you have a fire going.

Electrical Hazards

Electric shocks can be deadly for children, so it’s crucial to do these childproofing tasks:

• Use outlet covers or safety plugs in all outlets throughout your home. You can easily remove these in order to use outlets, but make sure that they’re back in place when you’re done. Better yet, install tamper-resistant outlets.
• Secure electrical cords out of children’s reach. In addition to the risk of an electric shock, these cords can be a strangulation hazard or a tripping hazard for children.
• Unplug small appliances that are not being used, such as hair dryers, and keep these out of your children’s reach.

Fall Prevention

Falls are one of the most common causes of hospitalization of children. You can protect your children from falls with the following childproofing steps:

• Block off stairs with safety gates, especially if your children are old enough to walk or pull themselves up.
• Use window stops and screens to prevent children from falling out of windows. Keep in mind that you should also keep long cords for blinds out of your children’s reach.

Childproofing Your Home

If you need help childproofing your Phoenix home when it comes to electricity, contact Turn It On Electric. We can help ensure that your children are safe from electrical hazards.

Sometimes it seems as if the speed of daily life should be measured in nanoseconds. Especially when you’ve got little ones in your life. While their natural energy is something to behold, and sometimes envy, their combined curiosity, and speed can put them in harm’s way, especially when it comes to cords, wires, and outlets. As a parent, you can’t childproof your home too quickly or too thoroughly when it comes to electricity.

Hazards to Be Aware of As You Childproof Your Home

Cords

Tuck cords for lamps, radios, or electronics behind the furniture where your little ones can’t reach them. Electric cords are a major safety hazard for young children. They may tug them, pulling down the device or lamp, or chew them, putting themselves at risk for electrocution. Childproof the cords by tucking them behind something heavy and immovable to eliminate the temptations they pose.

If you’re using a small appliance like an iron whose cord hangs near the floor, either put the baby or toddler in a safe place or reschedule the activity until naptime. There\’s no good way to childproof an iron. Toasters are another fascination for youngsters. Unplug it after each use to prevent a serious shock. Children have a fascination with sticking forks into the toaster. Don’t leave a coffeepot cord within reach, especially if it’s in use. Always unplug hairdryers and put them away. If you use bathroom heaters, make sure they have anti-tip features and GFCI switches built-in.

Wires

If you find any bare wires visible inside your home, call Turn It On Electric immediately. Uninsulated wires pose a safety hazard for everyone.

Receptacles or Outlets

Hand-me-downs are great for dressing your child, but when it comes to making your home childproof, reusing old plastic outlet caps doesn’t offer the best protection for the electrical receptacles. In fact, a Temple University study found that every child between 2 and 4 that they tested could remove the caps within 10 minutes.

The best solution to outlet safety is to install tamper-resistant receptacles throughout your home to prevent child electrocution. Some childproof experts recommend changing the outlets near the floor only, but we suggest changing out all of them. Saving a few dollars isn’t worth the hazard that receptacles pose for children.

Replacing them is not a do-it-yourself project since it involves taking out the old receptacles and installing the new ones. Each circuit breaker in your home will be turned off while the tamper-proof outlets are installed. Insurance companies take a dim view of wiring upgrades completed by the untrained and unlicensed. It’s much better to rely on a professional as you childproof the electrical system than risk your home and the safety of you and your family.

To Be on the Safest Side

While the electrician from Turn It On Electric is in your home to help you childproof, he or she can check the functionality of your GFCIs (ground fault circuit interrupters) and the AFCIs (arc fault circuit interrupters). The electrician may spot other issues that need attention, as well.

Some of these steps to childproof your home can be performed by an average person and others, like changing receptacles and an overall safety inspection, require the help of a professional. Contact Turn It on Electric, for help today.