What you don't know may just kill you

2011-04-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

What’s New At Masse Electrical..
We have developed a list of contractors and subcontractors that we have done business with in the past. Why develop this list? It’s simple; our customers have many more needs than electrical projects. Who do they turn to for a trustworthy & reliable plumber, carpenter or landscaper? If you are ever in need of a reliable company for any project from construction to computer repair, feel free to call us and we will help you find the right individual for your needs. These companies have done work with us or for us in the past and we would not recommend them to you if we were not certain you would be satisfied.
Home Owners “Face Lift”
The economy is rebounding and house prices are starting to come back up. If your home still hasn’t reached its potential and you are looking to do something different, Masse Electrical has ways we can help. We can transform your outlets and switches from the typical look to a decora look. Rocker switches and smooth face receptacles give your room a different look. If you’ve repainted and feel that your device colors no longer coordinate then we can replace them for you with the color of your choosing. Want to change the lighting layout and replace those ceiling mounted fixtures with dimmable recessed cans? Call us for a free no obligation quote.
We do more than electricity!
A few of our customers have been pleasantly surprised to learn that in addition to electrical projects we can also help with telephone and cable television. We have on staff a certified Cat5 specialist who can help you wire your home for internet locations where you want them. We are also capable of running phone lines from the entrance to your home to any location you require making telephone answering more pleasant. No more running down the stairs to answer that phone call. Want a television jack in your new den? We can do that as well!!
Creating an outdoor oasis
It’s the early part of the summer and you are sitting on your back porch looking around wondering hmmmm. Thinking about creating an outdoor oasis, perhaps a new pool or hot tub, maybe a new deck or gazebo? For summertime party planning or for family get togethers we can work with you for any power needs. We can discuss bollard lighting or tube lighting for a new deck or connect that new pool or hot tub. Perhaps you’re thinking temporary power for that graduation, wedding or anniversary party. Let us help you transform your back yard into an outdoor oasis that the whole family can enjoy year round all day and all night.

The Don’t Forget Section:
• If you experienced ice build up over last winter’s storms, now is the time to prepare for next winter. Call us to discuss a snow melt system for your roof to prevent further damage next winter
• As we are heavy in the thunderstorm season and you are constantly unplugging your computer and television sets, it’s a good time to discuss a home surge suppression system.
• If you have limited power supply in your garage or workshop, now’s the time to call us to add a subpanel for more power. The digging is easy and there is still time for fresh grass to grow over the trench line before the first frost.
• Not all light bulbs are designed to work in all fixtures. Be sure that the light bulb you are buying will work with the fixture installed in your home.

DID YOU KNOW?:

2010-04-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

Some residences have ungrounded services. This can lead to damage to your appliances and equipment and increase risk of shock from any metal parts on appliances.
Two prong outlets are ungrounded receptacles again causing potential for the same type of damages as an ungrounded service. Consider upgrading your wiring & receptacles.
Removing lamps from fluorescent fixtures to reduce lighting shortens the life of the ballast as the ballast is designed to work with all the lamps in place. Energy savings are erased by the cost of the ballast replacement.
Low voltage lighting uses the same amount of energy as traditional lighting. The only difference is that low voltage runs hotter through the transformer.
Knob & Tube wiring can be grounds for dismissal of your home owner’s insurance policy if the insurance company inspects your home.
A generator without a properly installed transfer switch can backfeed to the utility lines causing serious injury or even death to utility workers trying to restore your power.
Installing a timer on you bath fan can save money by reducing the risk of the light/fan being left on by the hurried individual.
Lukewarm water and a spike in your utility bill could indicate the failure of one of the elements in your water heater.
Programmable thermostats are available for savings on heat and electricity. These should only be installed by qualified individuals.
Attic fans can cool your home in the summer by releasing the warm air trapped in the attic.

Electrical Fun Facts:

• Thomas Alva Edison was one of the most well known inventors of all time, during his whole life; he received only three months of formal schooling, and was dismissed from school as being retarded.
• An electric oven uses one kilowatt-hour of electricity in about 20 minutes, but one kilowatt-hour will power a TV for 3 hours, run a 100-watt bulb for 12 hours, and keep an electric clock ticking for 3 months
• Currents of approximately 0.2 A are potentially fatal, because they can make the heart fibrillate, or beat in an uncontrollable manner.
• A 100 watt modern light bulb emits about 1600 lumens, while a single flame oil lamp from the 1800s emitted about 2400 lumens.

Surge Protectors – Safe or Not?

2010-04-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

Have you checked your surge protectors?

As we approach the upcoming spring it’s time to start thinking about yard clean-up and determining the damage made by our winter ice storms. Thankfully the cold temperatures are drifting away and the warmer, longer days are here. We ask that before you head outside to start planning your next garden area, you take a few moments to walk through your home and check your surge protectors. Many fires and appliance damage are caused by older surge suppressors. These suppressors are only designed to absorb minimal surges. When they have absorbed all they can, they then become simply extension cords. Heat can build up inside these “protectors” causing a breakdown inside and can potentially start fires. If you have not replaced your protectors for quite a while, take a few minutes to inspect them for any signs of breakdown. Not sure what to look for? Please give the office and call and we can walk you through it.

Bad winters with lots of snow and ice can cause damage to your service entrance cable. Snow plows rumbling down the road can cause vibrations in your home that can loosen the connections of your breakers and wiring. Our service plan is geared toward saving you hundreds of dollars in service calls for intermittent power loss throughout your home. We will inspect your service entrance cable, tighten all breakers and neutrals in the panel, check receptacles for polarity and check all devices in your home to be sure they are securely attached in the box. We will also change the batteries in your smoke detectors & inspect your ceiling fans for safety and balance.

The Facts about Electrical Safety:

2010-04-13T07:33:00.000-07:00

How to Protect yourself from electrocution & electrical related injuries:
We urge our customers to help protect themselves from electrocution and electrical related injuries by being pro-active. We ask that you check for problems in your home electrical systems and be ever vigilant for electrical hazards around the home like fraying cords or cracked wall plates and overheating cords. Make sure to use only the proper wattage light bulbs in all fixtures. Check all your outlets and circuits to be sure they aren’t overloaded, and use extension cords only on a temporary basis. Be sure that the extension cords are rated for their intended use. And ALWAYS follow appropriate safety precautions and manufacturer’s instructions on all electrical items. Make sure that GFCI protection covers all circuits that come near water sources, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoors, and consider it for whole house coverage. Please remember to test smoke alarms & GFCIs monthly. Replace smoke detector batteries twice a year and consider Arc Fault circuit interrupters for your homes electrical panel, particularly for older homes. If you would like us to check these items for you, consider our ELECTRICAL SERVICE AGREEMENT.

• If you experienced ice build up over last winter’s storms, now is the time to prepare for next winter. Call us to discuss a snow melt system for your roof to prevent further damage next winter
• As we are heavy in the thunderstorm season and you are constantly unplugging your computer and television sets, it’s a good time to discuss a home surge suppression system.
• If you have limited power supply in your garage or workshop, now’s the time to call us to add a subpanel for more power. The digging is easy and there is still time for fresh grass to grow over the trench line before the first frost.
• Not all light bulbs are designed to work in all fixtures. Be sure that the light bulb you are buying will work with the fixture installed in your home.

RESIDENTIAL SAFETY CHECKLIST:
• Check outlets that have loose-fitting plugs, which can overheat and lead to fire. Replace any missing or broken wall plates. Make sure there are safety covers on all unused outlets that are accessible to children or upgrade to the tamperproof receptacle
• Make sure all cords are in good condition – not frayed or cracked. Cords should never be nailed or stapled to the wall, baseboard or other object. Do not place cords under carpets or rugs or rest any furniture on them.
• Make sure your plugs fit your outlets. Never remove the ground pin (third prong) to make a three prong plug fit a two conductor outlet. This could lead to electrical shock.
• GFCIs should be used in any area where water and electricity may come into contact. When a GFCI senses current leakage it assumes a ground fault has occurred. It then interrupts power fast enough to help prevent serious injury.
• Halogen floor lamps operate at much higher temperatures than a standard incandescent light bulb. Never place a halogen floor lamp where it could come into contact with draperies, clothing or other combustible materials.

Home improvements books recalled.

2010-04-12T05:26:00.000-07:00

So let me guess, you like to go to the home improvement store when you're considering do some remodeling and are certian you can save a boatload of money by picking up a few books to "guide you through" the things you don't really understand. The shelves are lined with "do it yourself" books from decks to gardens, plumbing & electrical and all things in between.

You can get the series written by the home improvement store you're visiting or you can get the series written by whomever. You get your new books, you go home and study them, purchase all the material and two months later, just when you think you are all "electriciany" it happens. Your new pair of linesmans are catapulted across the room because the circuit wasn't completely de-energized.

You did everything that the "manual" told you to do, you re-trace your steps and are certian you did EVERYTHING. Chances are you did do everything, what you didn't know was that the publisher recalled the entire series of home improvement books and home wiring guides because the book contained errors in the technical diagrams and wiring instructions that could lead consumers to incorrectly install or repair electrical wiring.

Please visit the following link to see if you may own any of the books that have been recalled.

Home Improvement Books Recalled by Oxmoor House Due to Faulty Wiring Instructions; Shock or Fire Hazard to Consumers

If you own any of these manuals, please be sure to follow the instructions for reimbursement of your purchase.

Please remember, you may save some money in labor by doing it yourself, but at what cost? Licensed Electricians & Plumbers have licenses for a reason. It's a dangerous hobby for the homeowner.

Flooded basements - what to do

2010-04-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

So a friend of mine received some damage from all the heavy rain that Rhode Island had and her basement was totally flooded. Not that our fair state of New Hampshire didn't see it share of basement floods, but RI really got slammed. She said "why cant you guys be here in RI so you can come and make sure I don't have an electrical fire, cause there was lots of water and I'm really nervous". Well, I'd love to be able to travel to RI to help her out, I can't. I'm not an electrician and my guys would really complain about the commute. Travel time would be BRUTAL! So I gave her a little advice so when her electrician does come to the house she'll know why he's/she's doing what their doing.

Well, what do you know, Easter Sunday at 7:30am in comes an emergency call for flooded basement and coffee pots not working!! First and foremost, if your basement is flooded and there is any chance that receptacles or power sources are underwater DO NOT GO INTO THE BASEMENT! Sometimes breakers don't trip properly, (which is why an electrical panel inspection is a really good idea). There may be energized receptacles or power sources that will really, literally kill you if you step into the water. Secondly, if the standing water poses no electrical threat to you and you enter the basement, listen to whats happening. If there's water on the floor, there may be water hiding in the walls. Humming & sizzling is a warning sign that something is wrong. If you have a disconnect switch at your meter location, turn off the power to the house and contact an electrician. If you do not have a disconnect, DO NOT attempt to de-energize the panel yourself. There may be something brewing that you wouldn't recognize. Call your electrician and have them de-energize the panel and do an inspection of your panel interior.

If your receptacles were flooded, be sure that they are inspected as well. Water corrodes electrical devices and the damage can take time to manifest. Be sure that the wall and insulation behind the wall are dry before re-energizing any ciruits affected by the flooding.

I have posted some pictures of a panel that had gotten wet prior to this last service call so you can all see what corroded panels look like. This is EXTREMELY corroded, if you see any of this in your panel or around any electrical devices, have a qualified electrician inspect and replace if necessary.