There are many electrical hazards in industrial plants including arc blasts, shock and arc flash. These can result in serious injuries. Accidents involving electricity may sometimes be fatal. Industrial plant environments create potential for these events to occur not only to plant owners, but also to maintenance staff.

Electricians often assume that these hazards do not apply to them. These beliefs often persist until a major incident occurs that results in both financial and personal repercussions, that result in a change in policy within the plant.

Implementing policies that encourage a culture of electrical safety doesn’t have to be reactive. Taking steps to minimize the risks associated with electrical hazards will create a safe working environment for everyone, and not just the maintenance team.

One of the most important aspects of enhancing safety is establishing a routine for the maintenance of electrical equipment in the facility. This is not only vital for optimizing the performance of the equipment, but also ensuring reliability, safety and preventing unnecessary downtime.

It finally feels like summer outside - at least most days of the week - and homeowners across the Mid Atlantic are sitting out on their decks and patios late into the evening now that it is finally warm out. As a result, many homeowners are taking out their extension cords and stringing them through storm doors and beneath windows so that they can power outdoor lamps, radios or other devices. If you don't have a power outlet on the side of your house, you may be tempted to do this, but this practice is less than ideal in most situations.

Placing any cord underneath a door or window jam increases the prevalence of wear on the wire, which may cause the protective layer of insulation around the electrical currents to be weakened. Every time you slam the door to your back porch, you could be creating the risk of sparking or arcing. The results of this will be costly damage if a fire sparks - not to mention potentially fatal.

Radiant heated driveways have become a very popular option for homeowners across the Midwest and east coast, where winter temperatures often present quite the challenge to homeowners with the snow and ice that they bring. Can you imagine never having to shovel snow off your driveway again?

Imagine the convenience! True, you won’t be able to claim a “snow day” to get out of going to work, but at least you can leave your house on a whim. But what exactly are heated driveways, and how do they work? Will you need to have maintenance done on them? Keep reading to learn more.

Driveway heating systems use radiant heating technology to warm concrete, asphalt, pavers, and various other floor materials—whatever your driveway is made of a heating system can benefit you. The difference is, the installation of a driveway heating system is much easier and less invasive than a typical radiant hydronic heating system.

You still certainly need a professional to install the system, and it does require the driveway to be laid down after the installation of the heating system, but we’re happy to talk to you about your options!

Also called snow melting systems, driveway heating systems uses a sensor to detect moisture, which signals a controller to supply power to the heating cable, which then warms the driveway. This prevents snow and ice from even beginning to accumulate, removing the inconvenience for you while you sleep or otherwise enjoy being indoors out of the elements!

Snow melting systems have very, very few components. It’s true that age and natural wear and tear may eventually necessitate a repair or eventual upgrade someday. However, these energy-efficient systems are relatively maintenance free. Still though, it would be wise to have our technicians check out your system on perhaps an annual basis—before winter—just to ensure everything is functioning as it should.

If you have recently purchased a home or are in the home-buying process, you know there are a series of inspections that are required or recommended. One of those inspections may be an electrical inspection by a certified electrician in Glendale. The inspection is designed to give you an inside peek at what lies behind the walls of a home. If you have lived in your home for some time and have never had an electrical inspection, it may be a good idea to have one done. The team at The Electric Connection can help you get that scheduled.

If you have never seen an electrical inspection or are unsure as to what they encompass, this information will help you understand a bit more.

A Glendale electrician will inspect the electric panel, the breakers and look at the wiring that is visible in the panel. The electrician may also remove a light switch cover plate and have a look to see what the wiring looks like. If you have any exposed wiring in the attic or basement, make sure you point it out for the electrician. Glendale homeowners who have exposed wiring will want to have it taken care.

Once the inspection is complete, the electrician will write up a report about the findings. If there are things that are hazardous, they will be outlined and explained. Electric hazards should be resolved as soon as possible. Your electrician will also note things that are not necessarily hazardous yet, but should be taken care of at your earliest convenience. Any code violations will be pointed out. In some cases, failure to have a house brought up to code leaves you vulnerable should there be a fire or injury caused by wiring that is not up to code.

Give The Electric Connection a call today and schedule your electrical inspection whether you are buying, selling or plan on staying in your house for years to come.