Winter Safety Tips

 Most home first are preventable, yet they remain more common during the winter months. According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment, fire places and cooking are leading causes of winter house fires. Use these updated tips to help protect your home and family. 

1. Schedule Annual Heating System Inspections - Have your furnace or heating system professionally inspected and serviced once a year. Regular maintenance can catch small issues before they turn into costly or dangerous problems 

2. Clean Chimneys and Vents - Fireplaces and wood stoves create creosote buidlup, which is highly flammable; If you use your fireplace reularrly, have your chimeny professional cleaned at least once per year. 

3. Test Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarms - Test alarms monthly and repalce batteries at least once a year. 

4. Use fireplace screens - install a tempered glass or metal screen to keep sparks and embers from escaping. 

5. Practice Candle Safety - Never leave candles unattended. Keep away from children, pets, curtains and decorations. Blow candles out before leaving the room or going to bed. 

Simple Winter Energy - Saving Tips that actually work

 Heating your home uses more energy than anything else - especially during the winter months. The good news? A few small changes can help lower you energy bills without sacrificing comfort. 

1. Let the Sun Do the Work - During the day open your curtains and blinds to let natural sunlight warm your home.
2. Close Curtains at Night - Once the sun goes down, close your
   
   curtains and blinds to help trap heat inside. 
3. Dress for the season - It's much cheaper to warm yourself than your entire house. Keep the thermostat a little lower and layer up with sweaters, warm socks and cozy blankets. 
4. Lower your water heater temperature - Water heaters run all day, even when you're not using hot water, Turning the temperature down just a few degrees can save energy and money and you likely won't even notice the change. 
5. Reverse your Ceiling fans - Most ceiling fans have reverse setting in winter - switch them to rotate clockwise at a low speed. This pushes warm air down from the ceiling and helps heat rooms more evenly 
6. Switch to LED lighting - LED Bulbs use far less energy and last much longer than traditional bulbs. They're also perfect for holiday and decorative lighting without increasing your electric bill.

Electrical Fires Start Small

Many winter house fires are caused by overloaded outlets, aging wiring, and increased electrical demand. Space heaters, holiday decor, and added appliances can push electrical systems beyond their limits. 

Help reduce risk by: 

• Avoiding
  overloading outlets and power strips
• Replacing damage cords immediately
• Having older wiring inspected
• Using GFCI protection where needed

Give Quality Electric or your local electrician a call to help identity any risk. 

Space Heaters & Winter Electrical Safety

Space heaters can be a quick way to warm your home, but they place a heavy load on your electrical system. Each winter, improper use of space heaters leads to overloaded outlets, tripped breakers and even electrical fires.

Here are some tips to remember:

•  Plug space heaters directly into wall outlets
•  Never use extension cords or power strips
•  Keep heaters at least 3 feet from furniture 
• Turn off when leaving the room

If your breaker trips or outlets feel warm, it may be time for Quality Electric or your local electrician to come out and inspect.

Getting your pool ready for summer?! Pool safety tips!

You may not hear about it on the news, but electrocutions are a definite possibility in a swimming pool. After all, swimming pools have electrical components that power the pumps, filtration systems, and even pool lights. As a pool owner, you do your due diligence to ensure the water is safe to swim in and that there is just the right balance of chemicals. While you are doing all the normal routine maintenance, do not forget to have your electrical systems checked and maintained too.

Electrical work should always be left to an electrician, especially when it comes to a swimming pool. You know what they always say about water and electricity, the do not mix at all. When you are swimming in a large amount of water, the risk of electrical shock from  faulty wiring and equipment is much greater.

Here is what we can do to ensure your pool's electrical systems are safe:

Updating Pool Lights: Outdated or faulty pool lights are a high risk for electrical shock. If your swimming pool is older getting new lights installed will meet safety standards to ensure they do not get short circuited.

Inspect: We can inspect all electrical components to make sure they are in good condition. This will involve examining the wiring on our lights, swimming pool filtration system and the pump. If you are thinking about buying a house with a pool, have an electrician inspect it first.

Repairs if Needed: Electrical repairs and replacements are complex jobs. We can efficiently repair any bad wires or unsafe electrical systems to ensure maximum safety for your pool.

Call 609.861.1409 to schedule an appointment today! We offer pool system inspections and can help you upgrade your pool's wiring so that you can keep it safe this summer!

Quality Electric Service 

www.qualityelectricservice.com

609.861.1409
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Do you like so save money? A Whole House Surge Protector can do that!

A surge protector is designed to help keep your electrical equipment safe from any voltage spikes. It regulates the voltage within your electrical devices so that it is always at a safe level for your equipment. Surges happen a lot more frequently than homeowners may think. When they do occur you will want a whole-house surge protector to protect your appliances and devices.

Power Surges can occur for numerous reasons. Perfect examples are lighting storms or downed power lines. But, lightening is far from the most common cause for power surges. In fact, 60 to 80 percent of surges happen because of major appliances in the home. (Air condition units, dryers or even your refrigerator. Sometimes surges can happen through the day without the homeowner knowing it. As the surges continue, they take their toll on expensive appliances like computers, printers, Tvs, air conditioning units, furnaces and more, causing them to break prematurely.

Below are the a few benefits of having a Whole House Surge Protector

• Reduced Replacement or Repair Cost: Power surges can shorten the lifespan of your appliances and electrical devices, a whole house surge protector can decrease the damage done to those items over time - reducing how often you pay to repair or replace them. 
• Reduces Maintenance Costs: How often do you have to maintain your home's systems, such as heating or cooling? You may encounter more maintenance expenses because of surges in your power. By installing a surge protector, you could limit the number of service calls you put out each year. 
• They Are Affordable: Whole house surge protectors are very affordable. They can be installed the same day which means you can start protecting your home for a fraction of the the cost you may incur to repair one of your appliances. 

If you think you want a whole house surge protector. Give us a call at 609.861.1409. We do sell and install them. 

Quality Electric Service 

www.qualityelectricservice.com

609.861.1409
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Springtime Electrical Checkup!

Spring is the perfect time to do many things, like get your oil changed in your car, clean up your yard etc. It is also a perfect time to give your home an electrical safety checkup!

1. Are your outlets and switches working correctly? If they are not working properly this could be a hazard in your home because the wiring could be unsafe which could lead to a fire. 
2. Are your outlets or switches feeling warm? If you go to touch an outlet or switch and they feel hot, this could indicate there is a problem with the wiring in your home. You should stop using the outlet right away and have an electrician (or us Quality Electric Service :) ) come out to troubleshoot it. 
3. Are your outlets or switches discolored? Discoloration of outlets and switches can mean that there is heat building up with the connections. Don't just ignore them, if that happens then it could cause melting or ever a fire. 
4. Are you hearing sizzling, buzzing, or crackling noises? Those noises usually signal unsafe wiring or a loose connection somewhere.

At Quality Electric we care about your families safety and needs along with your homes safety. That is why if you have any of those issues we encourage you to call us right away to prevent electrical fires, power outages and more. Call us today to schedule an appointment! 609.861.1409

Quality Electric Service 

www.qualityelectricservice.com

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