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Knob and Tube Do I need a new Electrical Service? What about a Generator? Holiday Safety... Electrical Style |
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Knob and Tube Wiring If there is an area in the home that I think is the most lacking, in the area of electricity, it is in the area of older wiring. That is, wiring that is at least 50 years old and ungrounded. One of these types of wiring methods is what is refered to as knob and tube wiring. This type of wiring is easy to recognize. You will usually see it in your cellar of attic. This kind of wiring is run in individual conductors and fastend to the house by white porcelin insulators, these are called knobs. The tubes are made of white porcelin as well. These are tubes that protect the wire when it passes through a piece of wood. In its day, this type of wiring was fine. The problem is that people in those days could never have conceived of all the uses there would be for electricity today. Most of the time, you will find one or two circuits running through the entire house, feeding most, if not all, of the lights and even a few outlets. As the years go by the insulation begins to break down and you will begin to see the live copper conductor being exposed to anyone in the house, which is a hazard, all by itself. Overloading this type of wiring is obviously very easy to do, as well. Another type of older wiring to be avoided is what I call, BX wire. This is even easier to identify. This is a metal spiral bound cable, with the conductors inside. This may be the most dangerous of all older wiring. This type of cable relies on the outer jacket for a ground. Under certain short circuit conditions, the outer jacket on the older BX can get extremely hot, even to the point of glowing red hot, like a toaster. I don't have to tell you what the result of this condition will be. The newer BX has a bonding jumper in it, which will eliminate this problem. There is also a newer cable called MC, which has a grounding conductor inside. Both of these newer cables, BX and MC are safe and legal to use but look very similar to the older material, so don't panic if you think you may have some of this older wire in your home, especially if it was installed wihtin the last 15 years or so. A simple check will determine the kind you may have. Both of these types of wiring methods, knob and tube and the older BX, are now considered unsafe and some insurance companies will not insure a recently purchased home, if they find it in the building. Keep in mind that if you see either of these types of wiring methods in your home, it may be a good idea to check into whether or not your insurance policy will cover your home. The good news is that we are able to eliminate these types of unsafe conditions by replacing your old ungrounded wiring with new fully grounded products. I have been hearing from alot of people lately, who see the need to upgrade there homes to make them not only safer but more energy efficient as well. I haven't even touched on the fact that new wiring can realy boost the value of your home as well. So give us a call, I would be glad to sit down with you and discuss your electrical needs. Do I need a new Electrical Service? Probably one of the most commonly asked questions that we hear is, "Do you think that I need a new electrical service? I think that most of the time when that question is asked, they already know the answer. Just so you know, if you see water dripping from the bottom of your panel, that is not a good sign. Some other dead giveaway signs are rust at the bottom of the panel, indicating that rain water has been entering the panel, probably for a long time, circuit breakers that feel warm to the touch or have needed replacing before. Another indicator is a buzzing or humming sound coming from inside the panel. Replacing an electrical service may seem daunting to some, but it is a job that an expirienced electrician can complete in a one day visit. While there are lots of hoops to jump through, (ie. pulling an electrical permit from the town or city, scheduling a date with the power company, co-ordinating with the customer, and ordering all the parts), as long as you have remembered everything, the actual day that you do the job goes quite smoothly. One thing to keep in mind is that when a qualified electrician does the work, he will always have the local electrical inspector look at the job. This is a good thing, because that way you know that the job was done correctly and is safe for you and your family. If you ever have someone tell you not to worry about a permit or have an inspection, he may not be the best choice to do the job. While you may have to wait a while for a good electrical contractor, it will be worth the wait. Most of the time we are very busy, the good ones usually are. Just get on his list and he'll be calling you soon. What about a generator?? Another product that is high on the list of items people are requesting is generator hook ups. This is a very important item to have if you have a problem with frequent power outages or are just concerned about the occasional storm that can cause a loss of power for a few hours or maybe a few days or worse. Do you remember the ice storm of 1998? We recently celebrated the 10th aniversery of that event. It is a great feeling to know that you are ready for a situation like that one, and a generator that is ready to go on a moments notice, prepares you for that scenario. There are different types of hook ups that can very the price. The most basic set up is a 10 circuit manuel transfer switch. This type allows you to put 10 circuits of your choice on the generator. These usually consist of items like, your furnace, sump pump, refrigerator, freezer, water pump, microwave, a few lights, oh and don't forget the T.V. The next step up would be a manual transfer switch that would control your entire electrical system. This is a little more involved because it usually requires that your electrical service gets an upgrade, which is a bonus all by itself. There are different ways to accomplish this, and that would depend on your particular situation. The electrician will need to inspect the service and choose the best option for you. The benefit of this second type of transfer switch is that it allows you to run anything in the house that you may need. Now, you must keep in mind that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. When I say that what I mean is, that if you choose this secound option, your generator needs to be up to the task. Most portable generators will not run everything in your house at once, especially things like ranges, dryers and electric water heaters. This would require a least a 10,000 watt generator. The reason that this type is so popular, though, is because if you don't run everything at once you can have power anywhere in your house, as you need it. Most people can get along without there electric range or dryer for a few hours, or even days, if necessary. The last step up is an automatic transfer switch. This type of equipment is definitely the most convenient of all. There are, however, some requirements needed to make this work. You will need to have propane fuel available on the property. It, like the secound option will probably require some type of a service upgrade. The way this system works is that it senses a loss of power and will turn on the generator with out your assistance. This type of generator usually comes with a minimum of 10,000 watts of power. While the convenience is nice, most of my clients prefer the first two options because of the cost, especially when they consider how often it will be needed. In my home I have a gas stove and dryer, along with an oil fired hot water boiler, so for me the best choice was option two. In my case I can run my whole house with a 6500 watt generator. So, if a generator is something that you have been considering, give your favoite electritian a call. I'm sure that he would be glad to advise you on any of these options. Holiday Safety... Electrical style It seems that from Thanksgiving on, till about New Years Day, everyone's house resembles a runway at the Portland Jetport, lights as far as the eye can see. Hey, we all love Christmas, but with all those lights, did you consider the effect it is having on your home electrical system? Most of the time everything seems to be working just fine, but it is very easy to overload a circuit to the point that it trips a breaker or blows a fuse. If this has happened to you, don't get angry at your electrical system, it's just doing it's job! With a properly wired home these types of problems rarely occur. Even if you have an adequate electrical system you still can have a fire hazard on your hands if you fail to follow a few saftey rules. Did you know that nearly 160,000 house fires occure at this time of year. That's alot! Here are 10 ideas that may help you avoid having a blue Christmas.
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