Summer Safety’s Moment In The Sun
We’re in National Safety month, which mean’s summer is almost officially here! The Summer Solstice is on June 21st, so let’s use the day we get more sunshine than any other to put a few things into perspective.
It’s hard to imagine something can get hotter than the sun. That big ball of gas burning 95.4 million miles away in space is a scorching 9,941°F on the surface! That’s hotter than practically everything on Earth.
Hot lava? Only 2,200°F.
A white-hot flame ? 2700°F.
A Blue one? 3000°F.
But notice how we said “practically everything”?
That’s because an Automatic Circuit Recloser (ACR) flash — also known as a common electrical fire — is 35,000°F. That’s the hottest temperature found on earth! So that means every home — even yours — has the potential to burn three and a half times hotter than the sun!
NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH CHECKLIST
We’re not trying to alarm you, but as Chicago’s old home electrical experts since 2008, we at Arnold Electrical Services want to make sure every home in the city is taking the appropriate steps to stay safe with this simple checklist:
1. SPEEDY MAINTENANCE
When a heating, cooling or plumbing issue arises, you’re forced to make repairs immediately. After all, nobody wants to be cold in the winter, hot in the summer, or deal with a leaky pipe. So how come when electrical outlets stop working, people tend to just… work around them? While it’s easy to plug that cord into a different outlet, it really is a problem that should be treated as seriously as any other breakdown.
2. YEARLY CHECKUPS
Not everybody likes going to the doctor, but it’s still something we should all do every year – and your home is no different! A best practice is to have a licensed electrical professional do a routine check once every 12 months to make sure there aren’t any underlying issues that may turn into big ones later.
3. STAY IN SHAPE
Have you seen the little button that says “TEST” on some electrical outlets? They are usually on GFCI outlets in restrooms or on a power source near water. Get into the habit of testing those at least once a year to make sure it breaks and resets the connection.
We recommend doing it at the same time as another annual task, like switching your clocks for Daylight Savings Time. You should also be sure your smoke detectors are on and operating in case of an electrical fire when you’re not around. Remember: three and a half times hotter than the sun!
4. BRING IN THE PROS!
When it comes to old homes, not only is the proper electrical maintenance important. The proper people doing the maintenance is also important! Not all electrical contractors have an expertise in older electrical systems.
So while it may be more convenient to get a general handyman or someone off an app to replace that ceiling fan or swap an outlet, it’s important to bring in a licensed electrician who knows the ins and outs of your old home’s electrical system so you can trust they won’t leave any underlying issues that will sneak up on you in the future.
Why Contact Arnold Electrical for an Electrical Safety Inspection?
At Arnold Electrical, all of our technicians and electricians are OSHA 10 certified and our field managers are OSHA 30 certified, allowing us to give all of our clients our “Safe Worker Guarantee.”
That guarantee means staying up to code is always our standard. There are lots of jobs in your home that won’t require an electrical permit, but at Arnold Electrical we guarantee to treat every project like it does. Top-quality maintenance alongside top-quality service. That’s what you can expect from Arnold!
