Many Pittsburgh natives fondly recall the weather beacon atop the Gulf Tower with its flashing neon lights that indicated the weather forecast. The security guard in the building’s lobby would read the weather report in the local paper and switch the lights to red or blue, solid or blinking.

However, this six story pyramid’s neon display used as much energy as 24 homes, and during the energy crisis in the ‘70s, Gulf Oil decided to turn off the lights. When the crisis was over, the lights no longer worked.

Fast-forward a few decades: the building’s owners, inspired by the Empire State Building’s LED displays, decided to reignite the much adored landmark. With new LED technology, the award-winning lighting duo Chris Popowich and Cindy Limauro have enhanced the tower’s former glory with 730 foot-long strips of LEDs that can dazzle in a rainbow of colors.

The newly named KDKA-TV Weather Beacon usually provides a detailed weather display of Pittsburgh’s current conditions including temperature, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed:

By: Emilie Sims

Electrical outlets are found in nearly every room of the home, which represents a constant risk if you have small children. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, approximately 2,400 children each year suffer severe shocks and burns from inserting objects into the slots of electrical outlets. Additionally, there are an estimated six to 12 child fatalities each year related to this. Prevent this from happening to your family by childproofing the electrical outlets in each room of your home.

Also known as safe plates, these are additional covers that sit on top of your existing outlet and are held in place by a screw. There is a spring-loaded plastic cover that prevents your child from poking anything inside of the outlet.

Installing tamper resistant receptacles (TRRs) around the home provides a permanent solution to help reduce the risk of childhood shock and injury. TRRs, which look like ordinary outlets, are designed with small, spring-loaded receptacle plates that close off the slots, but open when equal pressure is applied to both sides. This design prevents children from inserting fingers or other foreign objects into the slots, and reduces risk of electrical shock or injury.

There are also several types of childproof electrical outlets that you can choose to install that will provide a permanent way to reduce risk of child injury.

This tamper-resistant outlet contains both a switch and an outlet to plug in devices. The dual mechanical shutter system blocks the insertion of objects into the outlet, increasing your child’s safety.

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet can be identified by the “test” and “reset” buttons located on the receptacle. A GFCI outlet helps protect you from electrical hazards by shutting off the electricity circuit when it detects an imbalance. The National Electrical Code requires these outlets to be installed in water susceptible areas, such as the kitchen and bathroom. Test these outlets once a month to ensure they are working properly.

These receptacles look similar to standard ones, but the two outlets have the ability to spin 360 degrees. These outlets also allow you to use two large plugs at once.

Visit the Electrical Safety Foundation International and the National Fire Protection Association for more information on keeping your family safe around electrical outlets.

You may not think about it often, but the power coming into your home travels a long way before it gets to your refrigerator, air conditioner, or any of the other appliances in your home. On the way, electrical current encounters fluxuations and interference from things like other appliances, machinery, and low quality wiring. That “Dirty” power can cause inefficiency and disturbance in your appliances, making things like the motors in your refrigerator and air conditioner, the circuits in your television, and all of your other electrical gadgets work harder than they need to, and wear out faster than they should.

A Power Conditioner will take the electrical current coming into your home and “clean” it, using filters to isolate power outlets and remove interference. This provides the correct voltage level to sensitive electrical equipment, allowing it to work safely and efficiently at the correct voltage.

Because power conditioners help your appliances run more efficiently, they can also lower the overall cost of running these appliances, and extend their lifespan. For more information about home power conditioners or for help on any electrical project in your home, please reach out to www.electricmaninc.com