Electrical

When the Copper Development Association recently released the "Top Ten List of Electrical Hazards in the Home," we asked an experienced electrical contractor and long time general contractor to help consumers with solutions to each hazard.

One of our experts, Gus Kanakis, an electrical contractor in San Jose, CA for nearly three decades, cautioned that virtually all of the work isn't the do-it-yourself variety, but reserved for an experienced, licensed electrician or other licensed contractor with experience in electrical systems.

"With all the home centers and Time Life books you can really get yourself in a heap of trouble. It's one thing to put a piece of pipe together. This stuff knows no prejudice. You make a mistake and it's going to come back to haunt you," said Kanakis.

The association agrees.

"The best way to safeguard against electrical hazards is to have a professional electrician install, inspect and -- if necessary -- upgrade your wiring," it recommends.

Here is the "Top Ten List of Electrical Hazards in the Home," and the steps you need to take to remove those hazards:

1. Overloaded or damaged extension cords.

   "Typically the little extension cords people use are like good for 10 amps and you shouldn't use them to plug in a space heater," said Kanakis.

   Avoiding extension cords all together is the best bet, but when they are necessary, use them temporarily, use the shortest one possible, use one that is properly rated for the job and use one with a surge protector.

   "The message here is to stop using extension cords for things that should have a permanent outlet. Extension cords make sense for temporary uses of electric where none exists. That is all they should be used for," said master contractor Tim Carter, publisher of the Cincinnati, OH-based AskTheBuilder.com website.

2. Excessive attic temperatures. Larger diameter wires should be used to accommodate hot attic temperatures, but don't bundle wires passing through framing holes or heat won't be easily dissipated.

   "The (building) code is very specific about how to handle wiring here. The worst thing you can do is to go up there and just blow insulation all over those conductors (wiring) so the electricity will create heat around the conductor," said Kanakis.

   Carter says attic fans can help reduce heat and passive turbine vents can do it with Mother Nature footing the bill to not only cool but also to remove moisture.

   "Each time the slightest breeze blows they do a great job of pulling air from the attic space. The turbines can expel vast quantities of humid air before it becomes a problem," Carter said.

3. Failing aluminum wiring connections. Many homes built in the 1960s and 1970s are exposed to this hazard long ago addressed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

   "Two dissimilar metals, aluminum and copper, give way to electrolysis and that causes resistance and heat. The fix, short of rewiring is to use 'CUAL' (copper and aluminum) rated conductors on the switch or outlet," said Kanakis.

4. No GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet protection. Crucial in bathrooms or kitchens, outdoors or near swimming pools, GFCI outlets guard against electrocution.

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   "They cost less than $15 for point-of-use outlets. Get them installed," said Carter.

5. No AFCI (arc fault circuit interrupter) protection in critical areas. Filling in where circuit breakers leave off, AFCI's detect electrical shorts that cause sparking or arcing that can generate temperatures approaching 10,000 F, says Carter. Most electrical fires are caused by arcing rather than overloads or short circuits, according to the National Association of State Fire Marshals.

   Carter says arcs can be triggered by appliance electrical cords with brittle or cracked insulation, when hidden wires behind walls are nicked by nails or pinched by fasteners, and by loose connections where wires are attached to switches and outlets.

   "I've been in a place where the wall was hot. It was just sizzling and you could hear it. Luckily we caught it in time," said Kanakis.

6. Not enough branch circuits and outlets. With the consumption of electricity rising due to expanded use of technology, appliances and gadgets throughout the home, there should be an adequate number of power outlets to serve all the new appliances and electronics without using extension cords. New building codes typically demand it. Older homes must be upgraded.

   "Simply run new circuits to places where heavy usage is encountered -- bathrooms, kitchens, etc. All appliances, including microwaves, refrigerators, ovens, garbage disposals, dishwashers, etc., should have their own circuit," said Carter.

7. Fuse or circuit-breaker misuse. Improperly sized fuses, bypassed fuses and a circuit breaker's rated capacity exceeding the current rating of the wiring, all create dangerous conditions. Upgrade and replace fuse and circuit breaker systems as needed.
8. Non-grounded or improperly polarized plugs and outlets. Grounding and polarization were introduced as safety features. Don't try to bypass them.
9. Wire size insufficient for current loads. The lower the gauge of the wire the higher the capacity.

   Says Carter, "Ten gauge is only used for clothes dryers and maybe a smaller air conditioner compressor. I have nothing but 12 gauge for all my branch circuits. I refuse to use 14 gauge cable."

10. Old wiring. Bare or frayed wires, crumbling insulation or faulty switches and outlets are all symptomatic of old wiring that needs upgrading. Anything older than 40 years is especially in need of replacement. Old wiring is the top hazard when it comes to electrical wiring.

    "It's the most neglected part of the house. We paint, we do siding, we replace the roof, but the wiring stays the same," said Kanakis.

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