Safety – Page 3 – Turn It On Electric

Safety, Smoke Detector

Smoke Detector Upgrades: Is It Time?

30Oct2022

WiFi technology has led to enhanced home fire protection. But many homeowners still have questions about smoke alarms, including:

Do smoke detectors expire?
How many smoke detectors does my home or commercial property need?
Which is best: battery-powered or wired smoke detectors?
When is it time for smoke detector upgrades?

Reasons You Need Smoke Detector Upgrades

Your smoke detector beeps to let you know it’s time for a new battery. If you’re like three out of four people in the United States, you ignore the beep until it quits. And then you forget to change the battery.

A working smoke detector increases your chances
of surviving a home fire by 50%.

Smoke alarms are your first line of defense, so it’s critical to keep them operating efficiently. We know that. But the smoke alarm statistics say Americans are negligent in protecting our properties from fire:

1 in 10 don’t have a smoke detector in their homes.
16% have never tested their smoke detectors.
20% have disconnected their smoke detectors.
Only 1 in 4 test their smoke detectors monthly.

Smoke Alarm Placement

Smoke alarm placement should ensure there are no obstructions like doors blocking the airflow. Every room has “dead air spaces” that can impede smoke alarm operation. Your professional electrician can explain each room’s best placement.

There should be a smoke detector located in:

Every bedroom
Kitchens (10´ from cooking appliances)
Near HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system – locate at least 3´ from AC unit or 20´ from gas furnace
Outside every bedroom

High-ceiling homes and pitched-roof homes have special requirements, so check with your local electrician for proper placement.

Hardwired Smoke Detectors Required

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says all home smoke alarms must be “interconnected through hardwiring or a wireless signal.” New homes are required to have hardwired smoke alarms with backup batteries. Upgrading to a hardwired smoke detector system in the Phoenix area can increase your property value, too.

A smoke detector upgrade will include the latest technology enhancements. For example, when one alarm sounds on an interconnected system, every alarm in the house goes off. Newer smoke alarms usually include a carbon monoxide detector.

Smoke Detectors Expire

Ten years is the maximum life for a residential or commercial smoke alarm. If your alarm includes a CO detector, 5-7 years is typical.

Testing smoke alarms is a service provided during your annual electrical inspection, but that’s not enough. To stay on top of your alarms’ efficiency, test them monthly. If you haven’t upgraded to wired smoke detectors, you should replace the batteries every year. Some battery-powered smoke detectors come with nonreplaceable batteries that can last up to 10 years.

What To Look For in Smoke Detector Upgrades

In Arizona, you can’t sell a property with expired (older than 10 years) smoke detectors. New homes and new renovations require hardwired, interconnected battery backup smoke detectors. Underwriters Laboratories-listed smoke alarms are also mandatory in Arizona.

There are 3 types of UL®-approved smoke detectors:

Dual-sensor ionization & photoelectric – This is the best protection available, especially if the unit includes carbon monoxide detection.
Single-sensor ionization – These detect small particles; great for fast flames but less effective for smoky fires. Because of more-than-usual false alarms, don’t mount near the kitchen/bathroom.
Single-sensor photoelectric – These detect larger particles; great for smoky fires but less effective for fast flames. There are fewer false alarms, so it is better to place them near the kitchen/bathroom.

Smarter is better, but if you can’t afford a high-end smoke detector, choose the best dual-sensor alarm. Single-sensor smoke alarms will eventually be phased out*, so if it’s time for a smoke detector upgrade, dual-sensor is the best investment.

Turn It On Electric specializes in whole-house smoke detector upgrades. If you have questions, contact TIO Electric.
___
*…standards for UL certification…are expected to prohibit manufacturers from producing single-sensor smoke detectors—which is even more reason to consider a dual-sensor unit. –popularmechanics.com

Electrical Wiring, Safety

Electrical Fire Safety: Fall Tips

30Oct2022

Depending on your point of view, fall can be a season of endings. Summer vacations and many outdoor activities are finished for the year. Others see fall as a season of beginnings; school resumes, and plans for winter holidays are already in the works. Fall is the perfect time to prepare for more time at home and increased electrical usage. Here are 3 tips to promote electrical fire safety.

3 Electrical Fire Safety & Prevention Tips

TIO…replaced our circuit panel and upgraded our home wiring, repaired our brother’s condo wiring, and today repaired
a fire-hazard wiring fault in our rental unit. …We will
not hire anyone else in the Phoenix area. –Sun City

In 2021, nineteen Arizona residents perished in home fires. None of those fires were caused by electrical malfunctions. However, in June, an electrical fire demolished a needy family’s donated trailer home and injured two people. One of the residents had replaced fuses in the breaker box and later saw smoke coming from the box. Smoke near an electrical outlet, switch, or fixture is one of the warning signs that you need to contact a local electrician.

You may already have an idea of some of the electrical fire safety upgrades you need. An annual electrical fire safety inspection may reveal others, including:

Defective outlets, plugs, and switches
Deterioration due to age or lack of maintenance
Faulty wiring installation
Overloaded circuits

1. Inspect Wiring Systems

If your home was built in the 1960s or early ’70s, you may need to have aluminum wiring replaced for electrical fire safety. Your home’s electrical installation also may have been altered by prior owners. If you suspect electrical rewiring was a previous owner’s DIY (do-it-yourself) project, your property may be at risk for an arc fault. (An arc fault occurs when electrical wires “leak” energized heat that can ignite wood and other nearby materials.)

A home electrical inspector will check to ensure all wiring meets current code requirements. It’s important to repair outlets or switches with wiring issues and to replace any malfunctioning electrical outlets or switches.

2. Look at the Lights

It’s romantic to put a sheer, colored scarf across a lampshade. It can instantly change the mood of a room. It can also catch fire, which changes the mood of the room even faster. The good news is, you can usually smell it burning before it ignites. The bad news is nearby combustibles like curtains can ignite quickly.

Light bulbs can be fire risks. Inspect your lights for:

Location – You don’t want curtains blowing into light bulbs from open windows. Look for any lamp or light fixture position that is too close to combustible materials.
UL® label – Underwriters Laboratories tests for electrical fire safety and approves products meeting their requirements. Only buy electronics with the UL label. Counterfeiting can occur with online purchases so be sure to know the characteristics of the UL mark.
Wattage – Using a safe lightbulb in any light fixture can be unsafe if the wattage is wrong.

3. Walk the Lines

Before your fall electrical inspection, walk through rooms in your homes to see if you have these fire risks:

Electrical cords under:
- Bedspreads/bedding that touches the floor
- Carpets/rugs
Electrical cords across:
- Doorways
- High-traffic areas
Extension cords
Frayed cords
Loose/wobbly plug-ins/outlets
Overloaded outlets
Spliced cords

Giant inflatables, animatronics, and festive lights are ways we celebrate at home. If you have electronic displays that include extension cords crossing your front yard, be sure to keep fallen leaves away from your electrical cords and hookups.

Fall is also the time of year to inspect smoke detectors. This is a basic service our Turn It On Electric technician provides during an annual electrical inspection. To schedule yours, contact TIO Electric.

Lighting, Outdoor, Safety

Halloween Light Safety: 7 Tips

30Oct2022

The kids in our community are our most valuable treasures. It’s fun to dedicate one evening every year to treat them. You’ll tell each child he or she is the scariest (pirate, ghost, monster) you’ve ever seen and drop sweet eats into their bags.

You may say, “Have fun!” or if you’re a parent, “Be careful!” as they run down your sidewalk toward the street. But actions speak louder than words. Make Halloween light safety a priority for visiting trick-or-treaters this year. Here’s how.

Increasing Halloween Light Safety

Sunset in your neighborhood will be around 5:37 p.m. October 31, 2022. But trick-or-treaters’ vision may be costume-compromised even before dark: Facial masks, hats, sheets, wigs, and other costume accessories can slip and slide over the eyes. To increase visibility, make sure your outdoor timed lights are operating before sundown.

Here are 7 tips for increasing Halloween light safety so smaller ghosts and goblins can securely navigate to and from your door.

Avoid candles – The flickering glow of a lighted pumpkin adds to the drama of All Hallows’ Eve. And those trendy paper-sack lanterns? Both are hazards waiting to happen. The risk isn’t worth it. You can put LED faux candles inside pumpkins (and sacks, for that matter).
Brighten your bulbs – This is not the night to rely on a subtle glow or tasteful accent lighting. If you can safely switch your outdoor lightbulbs for higher-wattage bulbs, do so.
Child-proof your traffic areas – It’s a good idea to inspect your pathways for potential dangers. A wobbly gate opening can be tightened, and you can put friction tape on front porch steps that get slick when wet. Relocate anything that could cause tripping or falls.
If you haven’t yet, consider a professional landscape and/or sidewalk lighting installation. It is attractive but can also add Halloween light safety and increase property value.
Deter vandalism – Halloween is also a big night for mischief-makers and vandals. After you’ve shut your front door and turned off your indoor lights, be sure your outdoor motion detector lights are activated.
Ensure grounding – Your decorative light strings or fixtures must be plugged into a grounded outlet. If you aren’t sure, simply ask us to quickly inspect for peace of mind.
Look for UL®-compliant labels – When it comes to Halloween light safety, sometimes you get more than you paid for: more risk. Inexpensive decorative outdoor lights may be manufactured out of country and sold online. All decorative lighting should have the Underwriters Laboratories certification. It’s easy to Photoshop®, so verify the logo and information if you’re unsure.
Open your storm door – If your entrance has a front door and a storm door, prop the storm door open. When you’re handing out candy, the storm door can slam on small hands or impede their movements. Prop it open and secure it. Consider adding yellow lights, a spotlight, or glow-in-the-dark caution tape to ensure kids can see it and avoid it.

TIO Electric: When You Need Fast Service

The record for the fastest pumpkin carving was set in 2013 by a New York teen. He completed the requirements (eyes, nose, mouth, and ears) in 16.47 seconds.

For fast service (just not that fast), add our phone number in your contacts under “E” for “electrician.”

If you have any questions, contact Turn It On Electric.

Electrical Wiring, Residential, Safety

Preventing electrical fires: 7 ways

25Apr2022

An electrical fire is the worst kind of electrical emergency. Preventing electrical fires with an annual electrical inspection is a great idea. An electrical inspection will either give your home a “clean bill of health” or identify risks.

Preventing Electrical Fires at Home

Home fires are heartbreaking. Here are several methods for preventing electrical fires:

1. Don’t Use Damaged Power Cords

If a device has a cracked, frayed, or loosened power cord, have it repaired or toss it. But don’t plug it in again.

2. Extension Cords Are Not Permanent

Any time you use an extension cord, it should be for a specific project with a measurable timeframe. If you’re using an extension cord to power appliances or electronics, contact your local electrician to discuss safer options.

3. Heed Warning Signs

There are indicators you’ve got an electrical problem or risk. If you ignore those warning signs, you’re putting your home and family at risk. Some warning signs are:

Burn marks/discolorations around a socket, outlet, light switch/fixture
Burning smell from appliance or plugged-into outlet
Flickering light
Frequent circuit-breaker trips
Hot/warm-to-the-touch appliance, outlet, power cord
Shock when you plug-in electronic/appliance
Sparks when you plug-in electronic/appliance

4. Never Cut Off or Remove the Third Prong

If you have ungrounded outlets (2-prong receptacles) in your Tucson or Phoenix home, you need to request an electrical upgrade for safety reasons. But never, ever remove or cut off that third prong on a plug-in. It’s there for preventing electrical fires from power surges or malfunctions.

5. Read Appliance Directions and Follow Them

Before you toss your new washing machine’s instruction manual in a drawer, read it. There may be valid warnings for preventing electrical fires. There may also be information about registering online for product recalls or dangers that are revealed months or years later.

6. Stop Vampires

An energy vampire is any plugged-in appliance that continues to use power from an electrical outlet, even when idle or turned off. It’s understandable if you can’t unplug an intricately pre-programmed electronic (like your television) every time it’s not in use. But your toaster, gaming device, blender, hairdryer, charging plugs, and more can be unplugged.

Make a list of plugged-in appliances in every room. Ask yourself:

Does it charge something using batteries?
Does it have a continuous display (LED clock, for example)?
Does it have an external power source (i.e., power adapter)?
Does it use a remote control?

If you answered yes to any question, that appliance is an energy vampire. Heat-producing appliances especially (like toasters and curling irons) can overheat when plugged in for long periods of time.

7. Update Your Wiring

Good old houses are wonderful in design and aesthetics. But some historical elements should be updated, especially old wiring.

If you see behind-the-scenes electrical wires running through porcelain tubes, it’s called “knob-and-tube” wiring. These should be replaced with grounded wires. And if your home has aluminum wiring, replace it with safer materials, like copper. An upgrade will safely increase your home’s amperage to accommodate the demands of today’s electronic devices. Ask your insurance professional if a wiring upgrade can lower your premiums.

Your Safety Is Our Priority

Despite your best efforts at preventing electrical fires, they can occur. Keep fire extinguishers in at-risk areas like the kitchen, garage, etc. Inspect all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they’re working properly.

To learn more about electrical safety in Arizona, contact Turn It On Electric.

Commercial, Electrical Wiring, Electrician, Residential, Safety

4 Common Electrical Emergencies

22Mar2022

Life in the United States is better than most people realize. For example, we’ve never suffered a (global) record-breaking electrical emergency. Electrical emergencies have affected hundreds of millions of people in several countries, but our worst was for two weeks in August 2003.

The Northeast Blackout of 2003 affected 50 million people in Canada and the U.S. The Texas 2021 power crisis may have caused between 246-702 deaths.

Electrical Emergencies and What To Do

1. Electrical Fires

Sixty-five percent of deaths due to electrical fires in homes are caused by having nonworking or no smoke detectors. Electrical fires can be caused by:

Arcing faults
Electrical distribution systems
Electrical receptacles

You can prevent or at least minimize the risks of electrical fires:

Create a family evacuation plan and practice it.
Get a professional home electrical inspection and follow recommendations for improved safety. Ask if AFCI protection is needed.
Heed warning signs of electrical problems:
- Dim/flickering lights
- Repeated circuit breaker tripping
- Sizzling sounds
If a light fixture recommends a particular wattage, adhere to that recommendation.
Install and regularly inspect your home’s smoke detectors.
Never use extension cords as an electrical solution (and don’t use them at all with air conditioners or heaters).
Stop overloading outlets. Ask your local electrician about installing additional circuits or outlets.

2. Electrical Shocks

If someone in your home has been electrocuted, turn off the power supply immediately and call 911. After the power supply has been disconnected, unplug appliances that were part of the electrocution.

If the person is still holding the live wire, you can try to knock the wire away with a non-metal object (baseball bat, broom, etc.)
Otherwise, don’t touch the person that was shocked/electrocuted. Stay calm and distanced.

3. Fallen Power Lines

Fallen power lines in your area can cause electrical emergencies. If you’re near one:

Contact your local energy provider immediately.
Don’t touch anything the line is touching, including trees.
Stay 40´ away from the downed power line.

4. Power Outages

Power outages are probably the most common electrical emergencies in the U.S. The leading cause of power outages is bad weather. Storms that include high winds, ice, and snow have caused widespread power outages.

Other reasons your community or neighborhood may lose power include:

Animals – Rodents, snakes, squirrels, and small animals can cause short circuits.
Demand – As homes get smarter and electronics get larger (see: EVs), we’ll see more high-demand power outages. Extreme heatwaves cold spells lead to higher power demand. Overworked electric cables, transformers, and other electrical components fail.
Earthquakes – We get minor ’quakes every 5 years or so. The 1887 Sonora Earthquake was our worst. At that time, it is assumed no homes in rural Arizona had electricity. (The Phoenix Light and Fuel Company was formed in 1884.)
Excavations – Some say the “Call 811” campaign was a failure but it educated everyone to “call before you dig.” Even professional excavators sometimes hit underground electrical cables.
Lightning – This happens more often than we realize. Over $825 million was paid on more than 100,000 lightning claims in 2016.
Trees – High winds and untrained tree-trimmers can cause tree limbs to connect with power lines and cause interruptions.
Vehicles – Car crashes into utility poles are another source of area-wide power outages.

When the power shuts off in your home, first check the circuit breaker. Then check with your neighbors and contact your local power supply company. Some homeowners unplug major appliances and computers and even the main power source at the circuit breaker. When power is restored, turn everything back on.

Turn It On Electric is the 24-hour electrician in the Valley. If you have a home or office electrical emergency that is not power-company related, we’re here for you. Contact TIO Electric.

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Chuck P

01:46 23 Jan 25

Friendly, communicative, and professional.High quality work.

Renee Delu

18:10 11 Jan 25

Mike you are the best!! God bless you for comming out saturday when I blew my fuse trying to vacumm and shout out to Josh who although not have sat office hours called me anyway after I left a voicemail. .Bob Best was here and gave me amazing information that NO OTHER electrician had. .!! I'm happy to say this is an amazing caring company...and I'm a customer for life!! Please recognize and reward Mike And Josh for them saving me on Saturday as my security system had no power and my smoke alarm had been beeping for hours. These men deserve kudos. .if you are looking fir honest and highly qualified electrical work. This is where to go. I'm thankful and grateful. Bob is now an instructor ..I'm happy to know future electricians are being schooled and trained by him. Thanks to you all

Wally Johns

01:31 11 Jan 25

Good work and very polite guys.

Rebecca RB

01:03 21 Oct 24

This company literally saved us! We had some electrical issues discovered that were rather alarming and created an issue with the garage door opener completely lost power as well as our outdoor dusk to dawn lighting and the interior garage lights. Mike the electrician came to the rescue! He listened to the issues in my non electrical language (haha) translated it and solved everything with confidence! Knowledgeable, Friendly, prompt, professional and efficient! Highly recommended! Will definitely call for future needs!

luci redmond

15:28 12 Oct 24

Great customer service & a job well done!

Samuel Heffner

17:04 14 Aug 24

I called TIO Electric because a friend referred them and they did not disappoint. I had an issue and it was rough identifying the source of the problem. Miguel and Conrad worked together to identify and solve the problem quickly. As a services based business it was extremely important to get the repair done quickly and the team stayed to ensure the job was done before they left. I expected to have to schedule another visit due to the complexity of the case, but they understood I needed to be back up and running as soon as possible and got the job done in just a few hours. They were very professional and personable and the cost was in line with what I expected.Update 8/14/24: TIO helped me again. This time with an issue I was having at my home. Marcus was very nice and knowledgable and was able to identify the problem and make the repair in quick time. I had a secondary issue I wasn't too worried about, but Marcus took care of that as well. These guys know what they're doing. Still highly recommend.They did a great job. I would definitely recommend them for projects big and small.

Caren Zellmer

12:46 03 Jul 24

Excellent service!! Marcus has been to our house a couple of times and completed the work doing an AMAZING job. He was very polite, professional and explained every process to us. His work was also completed in a timely manner. It is very rare to find anyone with great work ethic anymore! This company is very lucky to have him. We would definitely recommend and use Turn It On Electric again.

Bob

14:42 10 Jun 22

They were on time, clean, friendly, professional and did an amazing job. I would have to say that the price was fair considering the amount of work done. Highly recommend Turn It On Electrical!