Coming soon in 2014..

WIN a "Whole House" Generator Installation

 

Coming soon in 2014:  Somers Point St. Joseph R.C. Church will be raffling off a "Whole House" Generator Installation worth $10,000. This whole package includes, Generac Generator and "Whole House" Automatic Transfer Switch (sized per code requirements, up to 20KW), Freight, delivery, installation & commissioning of equipment (within Atlantic, Cape May, or Cumberland County), All wiring and connections (within 20' of existing electric meter), All gas piping and connections (within 20' of existing gas meter), 5 - Year extended warranty from Generac,  All maintenance for 1st year, All municipal construction permits, inspections and fees and of course everything will be done by Quality Electric Service. 

The Raffle tickets will be $20 each and proceeds go to the Church. Keep checking back for more information. 

 

www.qualityelectricservice.com
609.861.1409

 

Follow Us

Holiday Electrical Safety Tips

The holiday season is upon us once again and this is a time when many people decorate their home for the holidays. The key is to be safety conscious when decorating your home because no one wants the holidays to end in a disastrous accident.

1. Inspect Everything & Look for the UL label: Before using any holiday decorations, ensure that you inspect it closely. You will be looking for missing or broken bulbs, plugs or sockets that are cracked or damaged, wires that are loose or bare and any other type of damage. You will also want to inspect any extension cords that you use to connect holiday decorations. Remember, your holiday decorations have been in storage for the last year, holiday decorations can deteriorate or become damaged while in storage.
2. Do not overload electrical outlets: One of the most dangerous mistakes that people make decorating for the holidays is overloading electrical outlets. Ensure you only plug one high wattage appliance into each outlet. It is also a good idea to use extension cords or power strips with s built - in overload protector installed as another level of safety.
3. The Christmas Tree: Once a Christmas tree is cut, it can dry out quickly, so be sure to water your tree every day to keep it as fresh as possible and do not have it in the house for an extended period of time. Dried out Christmas trees are one of the top fire causing hazards in homes during the holiday season.
4. Candles: Most people love the look and scent of candles burning in their home during the holidays. Unattended candles cause more then half of holiday fires. If you must burn candles for your holiday celebrations, do so with caution. Never allow them to burn unattended and ensure that all candles are out when you to bed.
5. Keep Clearance around heat sources: If you are burning a fireplace, have an electric baseboard heater make sure all combustible materials are at least 3 feet from the heat source. Combustibles include furniture, curtains, gifts with wrapping paper, the Christmas tree and anything else that can catch fire easily and burn quickly.
6. Protect cords from Damage: When you are installing your holiday decorations always keep in mind where the cords will be when you are done. Ensure electrical and extension cords are protected from being damages. Make sure that they are not pinched by furniture, hit by a vacuum etc. If they are used outdoors, do not leave cords lying across driveways or walkways and make sure all connections are waterproof. Another thing to watch for is closing doors or windows will not damage electrical cords and keep them at least 3 feet from any heat. Never install cords through windows, walls or doors!
7. Stay in kitchen while cooking: This safety rule applies all year round. When you are cooking holiday meals and snacks stay in the kitchen. Pans can boil, unheated cooking equipment can malfunction etc.
8. Bedtime: The last person that goes to bed at night should make sure that all decorations are turned off, unplugged and extinguished. Unattended holiday decorations result in many home fires during the holiday season.

If you have an comments or concerns feel free to contact us!

609.861.1409
www.qualityelectricservice.com




Follow Us

Thanksgiving Safety

We all know the kitchen is the heart of the home especially at Thanksgiving. Did you know that Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment?

Here at Quality Electric we love to make sure out clients are safe. With the Thanksgiving Holiday just around the corner here are some tips from the NFPA on how to keep you and your children safe.

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
• Keep the floor clear so you do not trip over kids toys, pocketbooks or bags.
• Be sure electric cord from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of children.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children - up high in a cabinet.
• Never leave children alone in a room with a lit candle.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

For more information from the NFPA click here.

If you think your smoke alarms are not working properly, do not hesitate to contact us!

609.861.1409
qualityelectricservice.com



Follow Us

Stop being left in the dark!

A power outage that lasts a few minutes is often just an inconvenience. But when a major storm knocks out electricity for hours or days, being without the power that you need for lighting, HVAC, refrigeration, communications, and other essentials can quickly become critical.

Food spoils, mold grows and basements that are prone to flooding are robbed of their working sump pump and begin to take on water. Extended power outages during the WINTER can be even more DANGEROUS.

It’s amazing how quickly plummeting temperatures and a home without heat can reach “crisis stage – the water pipes can freeze (and burst, causing extensive water damage). And if you have an infant or elderly / physically impaired family members, temperatures below 50-degrees for any length of time can easily become a medical emergency.

In these types of situations, an Automatic Standby Generac Generator really can be a lifesaver.

Why worry about being powerless EVER again????

 

 

 

 

qualityelectricservice.com
609.861.1409

 

 

 
Follow Us

The Importance of Proper Lighting

You may not always think of lighting in your home as a safety feature. Both proper interior and exterior lighting are extremely important. While interior lighting will help keep you safe from accidentally hurting yourself, exterior lighting can help keep you home safe from intruders.

Exterior security lights do not have to be excessive. In fact, it is better to use subtle security lighting to properly illuminate the exterior of your huose without being too bright. This way, you maintain proper aesthetics while deterring intruders from trying to gain access to your home.

One popular method of exterior lighting comes in the form of motion detectors. These lights turn on when motion is detected, allowing you to leave them off for the majority of the time. These will deter intruders and use very little energy, When you get home from work they will simply turn on allowing you to safely get into your home.

If you have any concerns feel free to contact us!

609.861.1409
qualityelectricservice.com

Follow Us

Electrical Safety Tips

Here at Quality Electric we like to make sure our clients are safe. Electrical Safety should be practiced year - round. These are 8 important safety tips everyone should know:

1. Stay away from trees in power lines. Every year in the United States people are injured or even killed when they climb or prune trees near power lines. You should stay at least 10 feet away from high voltage lines and avoid working on tree limbs that are in contact with power lines.
2. Observe all warning signs. Teach children to never climb utility poles or play on fences around substations or any area where a "danger" or "Keep out" sign is posted
3. Don't run extension cords under rugs, carpets or furniture. Extension cords can cause fire if overheated. Make sure all electrical cords are long enough so they aren't tight and run them along baseboards to avoid a tripping hazard. When outside, keep extension cords off sidewalks, driveways and other pathways.
4. Replace light blubs with bulbs of equal or lesser wattage. Follow the manufacturer's warnings for appropriate wattage to avoid overheating.
5. Don't overload outlets, and never plug extension cords into each other. Plugging in too many appliances can cause fires.
6. Put out candles when you leave a room and turn off lamps when going to sleep or leaving home. This saves energy and keeps your family and home safe from accidental fires. Use a light times so you don't forget.
7. Protect appliances by plugging them into surge protectors. Surge protectors should bear the seal of a nationally recognized certification agency.
8. Make sure electrical appliances are not placed where they might get wet. Water can damage electrical parts and cause them to become grounded, posing a risk for electric shock hazards or overheating.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us!

609.861.1409
qualityelectricservice.com

Follow Us

Winter is on the way!

The weather is getting colder and winter is on the way in a couple of short months. Many people use a lot of electricity during the months of winter and it can get extremely expensive. Below are some tips to reduce your monthly electric bill as the weather gets colder:

• Turn down your thermostat during the day. By turning down the thermostat when you are not home is a great way to reduce your electric bill. You can get a thermostat installed that is programmable so you can set the heat to turn on before you get home so that our home is nice and cozy for when you arrive.
• Close your blinds at night and open them during the day. During the day this will allow heat to come in from the sun. This will take some of the workload off of your furnace.
• Turn off the lights when they are not in use. During the winter, it can become more of a habit for people to leave the lights on (as it is generally darker). Turning the lights off when you leave the room will save quite a bit of energy.

These are just a few ways to keep your electricity bill down during the winter. If you are having electrical troubles in your home please feel free to contact us!

609.861.1409
qualityelectricservice.com

Follow Us

Have you had your electrical wires checked since Superstorm Sandy?

Have you had your electrical wires checked since Superstorm Sandy?

Jim Rowland, the Managing Partner of Quality Electric Service is licensed by the State of New Jersey as both an Electrical Contractor and an Electrical Inspector. He is a member of IAEI, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the South Jersey Electrical Inspectors Association (SJEIA) and recognized as an expert in the Industry. His advice to all our clients is:

"Beginning with Hurricane Katrina, and now during the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the long-term effects of wiring being submerged in water are causing fires. Quite often, the damage caused to the insulation can take weeks, months and even years but eventually the insulation can fail, resulting in a condition known as an arc-fault. Unless the wiring is connected to a specially design circuit interrupter the circuit breaker will not 'trip', and a fire will often be the result.

 Another consideration to testing and evaluation of the electrical systems at any property that experience standing water due to poor storm water runoff, low elevation, etc. are the connections of the grounding electrode conductors to the grounding electrodes. The corrosive effect that occurs when these connections are submerged in water, especially if the wiring and/or the electrodes are not copper (i.e. aluminum or steel) can have a catastrophic effect. Without an effective path for fault current to the earth, the fuses and circuit breaks cannot clear ("trip") a short-circuit or other fault condition.

Most insurance policies REQUIRE the policyholder to MITIGATE any losses after the insured knows, OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN of a hazardous condition. Do not be surprised when coverage for fire losses (both property damage and liability) that are determined to be caused by water-damaged electrical systems are denied by insurance companies because the property owner did not exercise his/her DUTY TO INVESTIAGTE AND MITIGATE THE DAMAGE to the electrical system"

If you have an questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.

609.861.1409
qualityelectricservice.com

Follow Us

Keep Your Home Safe with a Security System

Keep Your Home Safe with a Security System

Emergencies can take place in a variety of scenarios whether it is extreme weather conditions, or security breaches. Security system installation in your home is essential to ensure that your property and the people within it are safe. In case of potentially damaging instances, emergency strategies can be implemented more effectively and efficiently if security systems are installed in your home.

Your home is subject to theft and burglary, but a security system installation will help you avert danger in no time. When the security system detects unfamiliar movement in your home, or notices any non-permissible entry into your home, it automatically goes off,  rings a siren and a silent alarm that will be sent to a dispatcher and it is distributed to the right people (Police, Firefighters etc).  A home security system will ensure that your property and your possessions are safe and protected from thieves.

If you have any concerns about your home please feel free to contact us.

 

http://qualityelectricservice.com/

 
 



Follow Us

The Importance of Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Each year, about 3,000 people in the U.S. die from fires in the home. A vast amount of these fires occur at night while people who are sleeping unknowingly inhale toxic gases and smoke.  More than half of the fires occur in houses without a smoke alarm and the other half of the Fires are almost always due to not enough detectors or dead smoke alarm batteries. The risk of death from residential fires is cut significantly when you have a properly installed and maintained smoke alarms in your home.

A smoke detector installation can help in preventing fire-damage to a great extent. The main purposes for these alarms are to warn you in case of any suspicious smoke inside the house. Improperly extinguished or unattended cigarettes and cigars are among the most common cause of fire.  A smoke detector will detect a possible fire within the house and immediately give a warning before the flames spread to other parts of the house.

In case a fire does occur despite your best efforts to prevent it while you are not at home, smoke detectors can alert the right people about the situation. This means that you will get a quick solution even if a fire does break out in your home.

Lastly, do not forget to change your batteries to keep the smoke detectors working.

If you have don’t have a smoke detector in your household, contact us and we can help!

609.861.1409
qualityelectricservice.com

Follow Us

 

 





It’s time to Winterize your home!

It’s that time of year again and with that comes the coldest months of winter just around the corner. While we haven’t had the most severe winter last year, there is definitely a lot of cold in store this winter. Months before the snow falls, it is a good idea to do a quick check and ensure that your home is prepared to deal with the winter ahead.

Here are some things to check for when looking to winterize your home:

• Check for rust above or around the meter box. If you see rust that usually means water is getting inside and this could lad to disaster in your home if left unattended.
• Check all outdoor outlets. If they are uncovered and will be affected by leaks or are in an area that will see a significant amount of snow build up, you may want to look into getting covers installed.
• Ensure your electrical system is working properly by having an electrical inspection. This is important as it can prevent serious problems in your house hold.
• Lastly, do not forget to change the batteries in your smoke alarms and be sure to leave the circuit breaker for the smoke alarms on.

If you fear you may have an electrical issue do not hesitate to contact us!

 

 

 

 

609.861.1409
qualityelectricservice.com

Follow Us