It’s never a good idea to use electricity around water; bathroom spaces always have a certain amount of humidity and steam as well as water in them. You may end up using electrical devices such as hair dryers and shavers when you are in this bathroom and the shower and bathtub areas always have some water. These can prove to be an electrocution hazard or a fire hazard and it’s important to be extra careful when you are using any electrical appliances in the bathroom.

We all need water to maintain health and hygiene. However, it’s also an excellent conductor of electricity. This means you can easily experience shock when you are standing in a water puddle and touch an electrical appliance. If your skin in wet, that gives the electricity an easier path and it can pass through your body in an unhindered manner.

That can be extremely dangerous as electrical shock can cause heart arrhythmia, burns and can damage your nervous system and lead to death too. If the grounding is improper or if the wiring is poorly installed, that can start a fire as well. And so, it is crucial to maintain electrical safety when you are in bathroom spaces.

Here are some useful tips to you can follow to avoid an emergency:

A Tiffany lamp is a style of fixture commonly associated with the Art Nouveau movement. The term is sometimes used broadly to refer to stained glass but it gets its name from the original creator and design director, Louis Comfort Tiffany – the son of Tiffany & Co. founder, Charles Lewis Tiffany.

The first Tiffany lamp was produced around 1895. In line with Tiffany’s vision that nature should inspire design, each piece featured elements of nature or geometric shapes to create intricate patterns. Each lamp was handmade by Louis himself or by an artist in his studio.

The bases of the lamps were typically sculpted from bronze with shades created from hundreds of cut glass shapes fashioned together with copper foil. These works of art took many hours of skilled craftsmanship to complete and remain popular to this day, thanks to their complex beauty.

One of the most popular tools in any home is the extension cord.  For a long time, rooms would be built with only one or two outlets, creating the need for additional power strips and extension cords as we moved into a more digital world.  As more devices found their way into our homes, the NEC updated standards for home construction to require additional outlets and electrical accessibility in each room.  Unfortunately, most homes still lack the proper number of outlets, and when a cable can’t reach, most of us will reach for an extension cord.

Most of the time, this isn’t a problem.  Extension cords function exactly as their designed to.  When you need a longer cord to place a fan or give a little extra reach to your vacuum cleaner, there’s nothing dangerous going on.  Where extension cords become risky is in their overuse.  Many people buy the longest, cheapest cord they can find and this is where danger sets in.

Electricity and metal have a very interesting relationship.  As current, the flow of electricity over a conductor, increases in a wire, the temperature increases.  Current is also adjusted as resistance increases to keep power at the same level.  When you add wiring to a circuit, the resistance of the wire itself stacks with the rest of the components on that circuit.  While one electrical cord doesn’t add much in the way of resistance, multiple cords will continue to increase the amount of power being used in the system.  As the current increases to keep up with the new demand, the temperature in the wiring also increases.

This relationship is used to great effect in your circuit breaker, where the difference in heat forces a breaker trip that protects your system.  In an extension cord that isn’t designed to handle the load being placed on it, insulation melts and fires can start.

Keep in mind that extension cords are always temporary.  Never use an extension cord for anything permanent.  They are designed to help you reach electricity for a task and nothing more.  When in doubt (or if you hear buzzing coming from the wiring, socket, or circuit breaker) switch to a higher amperage circuit and a lower gage wire for your extension cord (the lower the gage, the thicker the wire and the more current it will be able to handle).

According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, Guidelines for using an extension cord are as follows:

Remember that the more power you need, the more current you’ll be using.  Any device that includes a motor or heating element will either need an industrial-grade extension cord (power tools) or should not be used with an extension cord at all.

For the best in quality electrical repair work and installations, contact the professionals at Custom Electric!  Be sure to check back here each week for helpful advice, news, and guides or follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Categories: Local Electrician, Residential« What is a Circuit Panel?  |  Step Up Your Green Game This Year »

Until recently, home automation seemed like a distant dream to many homeowners. Thanks to the advancement of smart technology, we now have the ability to turn lights on or off, open or close the garage door, adjust the temperature setting, and so much more – all with the simple push of a button. Now, you won’t have to wonder for hours on end if you left your bedroom light on or if you your garage door is open; you can achieve instant peace of mind!

The technology behind home automation is sophisticated, but before you panic let us ease your worries. Smart systems were designed to add convenience to your life, not complication. Operating such a system is fairly simple; you need only have your smart phone, tablet, or remote control on hand.

There are numerous benefits to using smart technology within your home. Should you have any further questions about installation or operation, feel free to give us a call!

Home automation can supply you with an incomparable level of assurance. If you’re returning to your home late at night and are afraid of the dark, you can automate your lights to turn on before you arrive. Or, if you’re going on vacation for a few days or even a few weeks, you can schedule your lights to turn on and off at certain times to act as a deterrence.

Apart from lights, you can also use smart controls with garage door and house doors. If you’re unsure whether your kids remembered to lock the door when they left or if your garage door is still open, you can take control with the help of your app.

In addition to light control, you can also dictate the temperature of your home when you’re away. When it’s particularly cold outside, you may want to turn the heat on when you leave work so that your home is warm and cozy when you arrive. Further, some systems even track your heating and cooling usage. This gives you valuable insight into your unit’s performance and energy efficiency.

We’ve all let out a loud gasp in fear of having forgotten to turn something off at home or to lock a door. Now, instead of gasping, you can let out a sigh of relief. Simply open your app and check on the status of your concern. When you have kids or a demanding job, it can be hard to remember every little thing you need to do. With home automation, however, you can enjoy peace of mind.

When people go on vacation, they often entrust others with their home. Of course, you can still do that, but with home automation you can retain all control.

If you have any further questions or concerns about home automation, feel free to give us a call! We are happy to help determine what systems will best suit your home and needs.