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You probably know the batteries need periodic replacing unless you use lithium 10 year batteries. What many home owners are not aware of is smoke and CO detectors should be replaced every 10 years. If your home is damaged due to fire and your smoke detectors are found to be older than 10 years when it is investigated your home owners insurance is likely to not cover the damage as most policies have a section defining the requirements your home must meet to be covered. This includes smoke detectors less than 10 years old.
Homes built before1950 are likely to have been wired using the Knob & Tube method, (see image above). Homes built prior to 1963 are likely to not have a ground included for branch circuits, (outlets, switches, lights, etc). If your home is older than 1963 you may want to consider having a safety inspection performed. We are very thorough and would be happy to inspect your homes wiring and provide any recommendations for improvement if any are found.
Outlets are frequently wired in series using the push in connection on the back of the receptacle. Why? It is fast reducing the labor cost. Unfortunately, this will almost always lead to a failure in the circuit or worse a fire. Outlets professionally wired will have 3 wires connecting to the outlet, a hot (black wire), a neutral (white wire) and a ground (bare or green wire). If the outlet is switched it may have a 4th wire. All wires will be landed onto a screw. We recommend having your outlets wired properly to prevent overheating and failure. The most common service call is due to devices wired in series.
Electrical panels should be serviced once a year. As the panel heats up and cools down connections tend to become loose causing resistance which generates heat. It should also be inspected for other issues which develop over time. As a courtesy we perform an inspection of your panel free of charge during our visit.
A GFCI is designed to protect people against electric shock from an electrical system. It monitors the imbalance of current between the ungrounded (hot) and grounded (neutral) conductor of the circuit.
GFCI protection is required by the 2017 NEC for newly installed and replacement 15 and 20 amp receptacles on kitchen countertops, in bathrooms, outdoor areas, unfinished basements and crawl spaces, garages, boathouses, laundry areas, and within 6’ of sinks, bathtubs and shower stalls. GFCI protection is also required for certain appliances that have a history of being a shock hazard. Drinking fountains, vending machines, dishwashers and boat hoists are examples of appliances that require GFCI protection.
Energy consumption can be reduced a great deal by upgrading to LED lighting. There are many retrofit options as well as a variety of fixtures available to replace existing. They consume a fraction of the energy incandescent lamps use and last much longer.
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