Electric blankets can provide some much needed warmth and comfort during the long winter months. Nothing beats a personal heat source on your bed, staving off the nighttime chills. Electric blankets can even help you save money by allowing you to keep your thermostat turned down a few notches. However, these blankets can also be a fire hazard, particularly if they are old or damaged. Read on to learn more about how to stay safe if you choose to use an electric blanket this winter.

Bringing Electrical Work to Your Bed

If you do decide to use an electric blanket, make sure you carefully follow all the instructions regarding use, care and storage so you maintain it in good condition. Most electric blankets are designed to be rolled or hung up when not in use, since folding or bunching them can damage the heating wires. Once a blanket becomes damaged or stops working properly, it's time to dispose of it so you don't risk a fire. Blankets that are more than three years old should be checked carefully, and once they hit a decade of service, it's time to retire them even if they still appear to be in good shape.

You also need to inspect the blanket's cord and verify that it isn't worn, frayed or otherwise damaged. It's generally a bad idea to run the cord under the mattress or under a carpet, which can speed up its deterioration, but you also need to prevent children or pets from chewing on it or playing with it. The best option is often to store the blanket out of harm's way during the day when it's not in use.

Weighing the Benefits and Risks

Even a well-functioning electric blanket can be a hazard if you aren't careful with it. Some authorities even recommend using electric blankets to pre-heat the bed, then stowing them before you actually climb in. When you have an active electric blanket on the bed, you need to also make sure you don't leave any heat sensitive materials above or below it.

Additionally, pregnant women and people suffering from certain illnesses need to be careful that they don't allow an electric blanket to overheat their bodies. Excessive heat can harm developing fetuses, as well as people who have diseases like diabetes. Safer options for supplemental heat sources include a hot water bottle tucked under the blanket, or an electric space heater to warm up an otherwise chilly room.

Expert Treatment for Your Electrical Work

For help evaluating the safety of your wiring or any other electrical work, call an expert electrician today.

The importance of properly functioning electrical panels can’t be understated; if you haven’t recently, then the time to get your home’s electrical panels checked out is now. With fall just around the corner, energy usage in Des Moines’ homes will begin to rise exponentially as homeowners spend more time indoors and rely more heavily upon heating systems. The last thing you want in the middle of fall or winter is an electrical panel acting up, failing you, or even possibly endangering your family.

These days, our homes are only a small step away from being a large computer. Like any computer, the motherboard and power supply serve a vital purpose in powering and joining all systems; our homes aren’t much different, but the electrical panel represents both of these vital components. This means that if your electrical panel is broken or old, the various electrical systems you enjoy throughout your home will fail to work or become unsafe. By keeping your electrical panel in properly working order, you secure your home’s ability to grow with your family.

Your home cannot unendingly add electrical applications, as nice as that would be; instead, your home’s maximum output is determined and limited by your electrical panel. This means, if you’re planning on extending your home or adding large electrical appliances, you should absolutely consult with a licensed electrician to find out how eligible your panel is for accommodating the new output. Even if your system is under its maximum potential output, it may be advisable to upgrade your panel to enjoy uninterrupted service; always be sure to contact an electrician for any output questions or concerns.

While having an older electrical panel isn’t necessarily bad, there are a few things to watch for; older panels can carry innate risks that can be easily avoided by upgrading your electrical panel. If your home’s panel still uses fuses (not flippable circuit breakers), then you should definitely get it upgraded right away. Likewise, if your panel is from a proven-to-be unreliable brand such as Federal Pacific of FPE, be sure to give us a call at 515-446-7040 right away for assistance. Even semi-modern panels feature flippable circuit breakers, which reliably protect your home and appliances from dangerous surges. Keeping your home safe is our electrician’s primary concern, and ensuring your electrical panel is within a safe parameter is certainly part of that.

If you’re looking to grow your home’s living space, add electrical improvements inside or out, or are worried about the safety and security of your current electrical panel, then be sure to contact our licensed, bonded, and insured Des Moines electricians today. We have the skills and expertise necessary to safely and effectively upgrade your home’s electrical panel or advise against it if an upgrade is unnecessary. Electrical Gurus is proud to provide local service you can trust, get in touch with us today for details!

By: Jason Lee

It’s that time of year again. Everyone is making resolutions, turning over a new leaf, and looking to make this year better than the last. Make this year great by making sure the leaf you’re turning over is green and consider solar power and the benefits it could bring to your home and/or business. 

Solar power is a popular form of renewable energy that helps keep the planet clean. Oil, gas, and coal will produce energy, but require manpower to refine it into a usable form. With solar power, as long the sun is around, you have power. Solar power can be used for many things around the home or office, including generating heat and electricity and it’s great for indoor and outdoor lighting. In fact, the installation of solar powered outdoor pathway lights is one of the easiest ways to use solar energy in your home or business. One of the best uses of solar power is heating water. Homes that have hot tubs or swimming pools should consider looking into heating them with the help of solar power. Due to low operating costs of the solar power, it is very cost effective.

Benefits to solar power include the slowing of global warming, saving homeowners money, energy reliability, and energy security. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, home values rise an average of $20 for every one dollar of reduction in the annual utility bill. Another great thing about going green this year is that it will continue for years to come. By switching to solar power, homeowners may be eligible for tax credits, rebates or other incentives, and you will be reducing the amount of environmental impact you have on the planet.

So start the new-year off right by looking to make this year and the years to come a brighter and cleaner place not just by turning over a new leaf, but by making sure that leaf you turn over is green.

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