Safety information
 

= Sweep up—don’t vacuum—all of the glass fragments and fine particles.

 

= Place broken pieces in a plastic bag and wipe the area with a damp paper towel to pick up any stray shards of glass or fine particles. Put the used towel in the plastic bag as well. Seal the bag and take it to your local recycling center.

 

= If weather permits, open windows to allow the room to ventilate.

 

To receive a copy of the ENERGY STAR fact sheet visit their website at www.energystar.gov, or call the REMC’s Member Services Department.

Electrical safety:

Does your home pass the test?

 

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), faulty home electrical wiring is responsible for 40,000 fires a year and results in the loss of 350 lives, thousands of electrical shock and burn injuries and more than $2 billion in personal property damage. With electrical energy use typically on the rise during the warmer weather, the Leviton Institute advises that Spring is an excellent time to conduct a 10-step home electrical safety inspection.

 

1. Electrical Outlets: Check for loose-fitting plugs which can be a shock or fire hazard. Replace missing or broken wall plates so wiring and components are not exposed.

 

2. GFCIs: Make sure GFCIs are installed in your kitchen, bathrooms, workshop, basement, garage and outdoor areas where water and electricity are likely to come in contact. Test them monthly to ensure they work properly.

 

3. Plugs: Never force them into outlets. Don’t remove the ground pin (third prong) to make a three prong plug fit a two-conductor outlet. Avoid overloading outlets with adapters and too many appliance plugs.

 

4. Cords: Make sure they are not frayed or cracked, placed under carpets or rugs, resting on furniture or located in high-traffic areas. Do not nail or staple them to walls, floors or other objects.

 

5. Extension Cords: Use on a temporary basis only. They are not intended as permanent household wiring. Make sure they have safety closures to protect young children from shock hazards.

 

6. Light Bulbs: Check the wattage to make sure light bulbs match the fixture requirements. Replace bulbs that have higher wattage ratings than recommended. Make sure they are screwed in securely so they don’t overheat.

 

7. Circuit Breakers/Fuses: Fuses should be properly rated for the circuit they are protecting. If you don’t know the correct rating, have an electrician identify and label the correct size to be used. Always replace a fuse with the same size you are removing. Check that circuit breakers are working properly.

 

8. Appliances/Electronics: If an appliance repeatedly blows a fuse, trips a circuit breaker or has given you an electrical shock, immediately unplug it and have it repaired or replaced. Look for cracks or damage in wiring, plugs and connectors. Use surge protectors to protect expensive electronics.

 

9. Outdoor Connections: Electric-powered lawn equipment and power tools should not be used in the rain, on wet grass or in wet conditions. Inspect for frayed cords, broken plugs and cracked or broken housings. Always use an extension cord rated for outdoor use.

 

10. Service Capacity: Electrical systems can become overloaded. As you continue to upgrade your home with more lighting, appliances and electronics, your home’s electrical service capacity may become overburdened. If fuses blow or circuit breakers trip frequently, you may need to increase your home’s electrical service and add new branch circuits. A qualified, licensed electrician can determine the appropriate service requirements for your home and provide you with an estimate of the cost to upgrade.

- from the National Rural Electric

Cooperative Association’s "Power Kit"

 

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What is a ground fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI for short? It may just be the most important electrical safety device in your home. It is so important that the Consumer Products Safety Commission estimates electrocutions in and around the home could be reduced by 50 percent if every home had ground fault circuit interrupters installed in the necessary places.

A GFCI can come in one of three main forms. The most common is the GFCI-protected receptacle that can be installed in the place of any regular receptacle. GFCIs can also come in the form of circuit breakers that are installed directly in an electrical entrance panel. The third type of GFCI is a portable one that is commonly used on worksites.

What does a GFCI do? A GFCI is designed to protect people, not equipment. It constantly monitors the amount of electricity flowing to it from your breaker panel on the "hot" wire, and the flow of electricity returning to your panel on the "neutral" wire. When a GFCI senses an electrical flow imbalanace of as little as 5 milliampers, it instantly presumes the electricity has found a new path --- perhaps through you or a loved one --- and it shuts itself down. (A fault of 5 milliamperes --- .005 of an ampere --- can’t even be sensed by most people.)

Where should you install GFCIs? GFCI’s became mandatory in new homes in the 1970’s. The National Electrical Code requires that GFCI protected receptacles be installed in locations where water and electricity are likely to come in contact with each other. These locations include kitchens, bathrooms, basements, crawl spaces, garages, and workshops. Outdoor receptacles, including those associated with pools, hot tubs, spas and boathouses, are also to be protected by GFCIs.

If you have an older home without GFCIs, you may want to consider installing them in these locations.

How do you know your GFCIs are working properly? You should test your GFCIs every month or so to make sure the unit is working and to make sure that it’s moving parts do not seize up. Testing your GFCIs is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3:

1 - Plug something --- a nightlight, small lamp or radio ---into the GFCI receptacle.

2 - Look at the receptacle to find the "test" buttom. Press it and you should hear a definate "click" and your light, radio, etc., should immediately go off if the unit is operating properly.

3 - To restore power to the receptacle, press the "reset" button located near the "test" button.

If the receptacle does not disconnect power when the "test" buttom is pushed, the GFCI is defective and should be replaced as soon as possible.

Do you have more questions about GFCIs? Just give our Member Services Department a call!

 

 

 

Safe Electricity offers safety tips

 

Avoid Overloading Home and Business Electrical Systems

 

 “Nationwide, an estimated 50 million older homes and buildings with outdated electrical wiring and systems are at greater risk of dangerous deterioration and becoming overloaded,” says Molly Hall, Director of the Safe Electricity program.

 

The wiring of many homes is not equipped to properly handle and support the increased electrical demands of present-day homes and offices.  According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than half of all homes in the U.S. are at least thirty years old.  The wiring in many of these older homes was designed to handle only about half of the electrical demands of today’s homeowners.

 

“Overloaded electrical circuits, and faulty equipment and wiring can cause not only inconvenient power outages, but hazardous conditions that could result in injury, or even death,” says Hall.

 

The NFPA attributes more than 40,000 fires, 325 deaths, 1,350 injuries, and $640 million in damages in home fires each year to faulty electrical distribution and wiring.   This accounts for nearly one-third of the total average 111, 400 residential electrical fires per year-- the fourth leading cause of home fires. These residential electrical fires cause an annual average of 860 deaths, 3,875 injuries and nearly $1.3 billion in property damage, according to last available statistics.

 

“A home electrical inspection to find and correct hidden hazards could prevent many of these tragedies,” says Hall. “The time and investment in a having a qualified electrician check your residence, and performing a few home repairs and upgrades are small in comparison to the protection and safety they provide to your family and home.”

 

Safe Electricity recommends an electrical system inspection for all dwellings 40 years old or older, and when purchasing a previously owned home. A few ways to determine if your home needs an electrical inspection include:

 

*  Major renovation or major new appliances have been added in the last 10 years

*  Lights often flicker, blink or dim momentarily

*  Circuit breakers trip or fuses blow often

*  Cords or wall plates that are warm to the touch or discolored

*  Crackling, sizzling or buzzing is heard from outlets

*  Extension cords or multiple power strips permanently in use

 

“Avoid using extension cords on a continual basis,” Hall recommends. “Use them only temporarily and make sure the cords are good condition - not frayed, stretched or worn -and out of the path of foot traffic. Never use an extension cord for air conditioners, electric heaters or even fans.”

 

“Remove and keep all electrical cords from behind baseboards and beneath carpets and furniture,” stresses Hall. “This is a major fire hazard.”

 

If electrical items to be plugged in are close together, use a plug bar or surge protector. But make sure not to overload the electrical circuit, which can create a fire hazard.

 

In addition to ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets, designed for protection from electrical shocks, Safe Electricity encourages homeowners to have arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) outlets professionally install in bedrooms. The AFCI is a relatively new technology to address electrical fire hazards. Most local codes now require these outlets in new residential construction.

 

No matter the season, or age of homes, residents should be vigilant and continually check for electrical hazards such as cracked or fraying electrical cords; overloaded outlets and circuits; and improper wattage light bulbs in lamps and light fixtures.

 

“And always make sure smoke alarms are placed and functioning properly,” Hall emphasizes.

 

For more information visit the Web site www.SafeElectricity.org.

 

Safe Electricity is the electrical safety public awareness program of more than three-dozen organizations, including the University of Illinois, electric companies and rural electric cooperatives in Illinois and Indiana, operated through a not-for profit organization dedicated to promoting electric safety and efficiency.

 

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