Since 1989 approximately 1 billion feet of CSST gas line or yellow gas line has been installed.  Nearby lighting strikes can cause an electrical surge and puncture the CSST line.  Bonding is considered electrical work and should only be performed by a qualified electrician.

In new construction we bond all gas lines.  Currently about 500,000 new homes per year have CSST gas line installed in them.  However, CSST gas line is considered safe when properly installed in your home.  Part of the installed properly guidelines refers to bonding your CSST gas line, your local electrician can do this for you.  If your home is more than two years old we recommended you have a licensed electrician check for proper gas line bonding.  Many real estate transactions and inspections require the CSST line to be bonded prior to the sale.   A good source of information on CSST lines can be found at CSSTSafety.com.

“CSST should NOT be confused with flexible gas appliance connectors – the product that joins a moveable appliance to your home or building’s gas supply line. The difference is flexible connectors attach directly to the moveable appliance from the wall or floor. CSST is usually routed beneath, through and alongside floor joists in your basement, inside interior wall cavities and on top of ceiling joists in attic spaces.” CSST Safety.com

If you would like more information or to check to see if your CSST line is properly bonded please feel free to Contact us anytime!  We bond CSST gas lines in the Des Moines area and surrounding communities.

Our dependence on electricity is truly astonishing. In every room of your home you’ll find multiple ways electricity is used that we often take for granted. If not handled with care, electricity can pose serious threats of electric shock and burn. One way that these types of accidents can occur is when babies and children are able to roam freely and get their hands on electrical devices. Consider ways of childproofing your house from potential electrical hazards before a serious accident occurs. Our well-trained team at Expert Electric has compiled a list of measures so that you can get started.

To identify any electrical hazards in your home, start by going room by room. For a more thorough approach, get down on your hands and knees to view the potential hazards from a child’s perspective. At this lower vantage point you are looking at all the electrical outlets, power strip bars and power cords. Be sure to look behind furniture and up on any side tables, dressers or counter tops. Make a list of electrical hazards that you have identified and get to work addressing those issues.

Childproofing your electrical outlets will be one of the most basic and simplest solutions. There are usually multiple outlets in each room and they seem to be attracted to them. Outlets are very tempting little spots on the wall for children to stick random objects into. To prevent this dangerous behavior from happening, install electrical outlet caps or safety plates over the top of unused outlets. This will block children from sticking their fingers and other items into the holes, which can cause the electrical current from flowing to the child. All unused outlets that are accessible to children should be covered.

Power bars are commonly used around the home to power numerous electrical devices located in the same room, such as a television system or computer setup. In these areas, multiple cords are often found tangled up in a pile and are all plugged into one power strip on the floor or in a cabinet. Childproofing a power strip can easily be done to protect your child from dangerous electrical shock or burn. Purchase and install power strip covers on child-accessible power bars. These covers wrap around the power bar and have a hole for the cords to exit. This helps to prevent children from tampering with and pulling out cords. At times gaps may occur in the covers hole, duct tape these areas to prevent little fingers from entering into the cover.

Securing electrical cords will be an important safety measure. If a child can pull on an electrical cord to dislodge the prongs it can create an opportunity for electrical shock. Alternatively, the connected electrical device could fall down due to the tugging and cause an injury to the child’s head. Secure these types of hazards by tucking electrical cables safely out of reach or plugging them in different areas of the room not accessible to children. If the cords are too long, shorten them by rolling up the cord into your hand and tying with a zip tie. Any cords that run along the floor can be a tripping hazard and should be secured with strong tape or a rubber cord cover that can be purchased in any length.

We want to help you have piece of mind about your home and rest easy knowing you’re safe from electrical accidents. For more ideas or questions that you have regarding childproofing your home for electrical hazards, contact our trained and courteous technicians at Expert Electric. Call us today at 604-681-8338.

A backup generator supplies electricity during a power outage, typically for brief periods. The electrical capacity of a backup generator is directly related to the cost, so buyers must carefully calculate their electric requirements when making their purchase decision. The operation of power generators involves significant safety considerations.

The fuel supply for a backup generator is usually gasoline, propane or natural gas. A backup generator connects directly to the house’s main power supply. A transfer switch on the generator detects a power loss and automatically turns the generator on. This allows the house to have electricity during the power outage with minimal interruption. The transfer switch also turns the generator off when it detects power from the house’s main power supply. Backup generators typically run regular self-tests automatically to ensure these power transfers occur smoothly.

The power of a deck of generator must be greater than its maximum total load when the generator starts up. This generally requires you to add the running our of all the electrical appliances you wish to operate at the same time. You must also add the startup power of your largest appliance to this total, typically an air conditioner or furnace. The startup wattage should be listed on the appliance and is typically three to five times the running wattage of the appliance. You can also calculate an appliance’s power requirement by multiplying its amperage by its voltage.

Backup generators do not typically supply power for the entire house; rather, they usually just supply power for essential needs. A 20,000-watt generator will typically be needed to run an entire home and usually costs about $7,000. A 10,000-watt generator is adequate for a small home or job site, and typically costs about $5,500. Backup generators for emergency purposes only can be substantially smaller.

The biggest risk of operating a backup generator is that it produces carbon monoxide as an exhaust gas. Backup generators were responsible for 85 deaths by carbon monoxide in 2005, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It is essential that the backup generator is outside when it is running, preferably at a distance of at least 10 feet. Gasoline engines produce much more carbon monoxide than those that run on propane or natural gas.

Electricity and fire hazards are also important safety considerations when operating a backup generator. You generally need to plug the electrical clients is directly into the generator using heavy-duty extension cords rated for exterior use. A single extension cord should also connect the generator to the transfer switch.

The state of Texas takes up about 16.7 percent of the land area of the United States. That is such a large portion that it is important to understand when this state stands on a number of issues. Going green is one of those issues that many people wonder where Texas stands.

When talking about going green, one of the most important questions is whether or not Texas is considering Green Energy in any forms. Since this state boasts of an expansive oil industry, is there any reason to believe that it would even consider green technologies?

You cannot deny that Texas is an enormous presence in the United States, but its very size means that there is room for many different industries and that includes those that focus on improving the state of the planet. The Lone Star state is actually involved in numerous environmentally friendly Green Energy sources, and some of those initiatives have actually been launched by Texas’ own entrepreneurs and energy companies.

Of course, some of those initiatives are not solely motivated by profits. The majority are set in place by those who are interested in doing their part in the fight to save our environment. There is an altruistic element involved in many of these initiatives, and one of the best known is the one that was started by the owner and CEO of Mesa Partners an oil and natural gas producer.

As one might expect, seeing that a good portion of the state receives ample to excessive wind, there are numerous wind power generators located throughout the panhandle as well as other parts of the state. Acres and acres of farm land have been dedicated to producing electric power. This is in part due to the massive efforts of one of Texas’ most influential citizens, T. Boone Pickens who has worked tirelessly to promote wind energy.

Some cities like Houston are even doing their part by promoting the use of electric cars, and they have also adopted regulations that put mandatory water controls on the citizens. Governmental controls aside, many citizens of this fine state are doing their individual parts to make an impact on the environment.

Although Texas may be well known as an oil friendly state, it is certainly not true that it is not friendly to the environment. With 27,000 wind turbines already pumping out power, and the plan to make that number 70,000 by the end of 2012, no one can say that the state of Texas is not going green.