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What To Look for in a Smoke Detector Smoke detectors are essential for every home, both from a fire safety standpoint and, in many jurisdictions, under the regulations in the local building code. Ideally, there should be one in every room, because every second counts in the event of a fire. If you catch it early, you might be able to put it out yourself with a fire extinguisher. If it’s too big, you’ll still

Smoke detectors provide critical early warning signs in the event of a fire, reducing the risk of death or injury from fires by over 50%. However, many homeowners don’t pay attention when their smoke alarms or detectors expire. Here are some tips on when your units should be replaced and the signs that they’re aging or losing sensitivity. How Long Do Smoke Detectors Last? Smoke detectors typically last for about 8-10 years. After that, their

Have you ever noticed your lights dimming when you turn on certain appliances? While it may just seem like a little inconvenience, it’s best not to ignore it. The change in your lights is an alert to a larger, more significant issue that could lead to complications for your home if the problem is not fixed. Why Lights Dim When You Turn on Large Appliances When you switch on a large appliance, it will need

How To Know If Your Electrical Panel Is Overloaded An overloaded home electrical panel can put yourself, your family and your home in harm’s way. The good news is that there are several clues that something is wrong, and it can be easier than you think to find help in a timely manner. Let’s take a look at a few key signs that your electrical panel is being overworked and what you should do to

Safest Locations for Smoke Detectors When there’s a potential fire hazard inside your home, a properly functioning smoke detector can save lives. The blaring sound of the alarm provides an early warning sign, thus giving you and your family a chance to quickly evacuate if needed. While smoke detectors have proven to be highly effective, proper placement is a must. Let’s take a look at the safest locations to install these essential safety devices. Bedrooms

Connecting Smoke Detectors So They sound All At Once While the first smoke alarm was created over a century ago, interconnected smoke detectors weren’t a requirement until 1988. These alarms are significantly safer because they send an immediate alert to the rest of the home if a single alarm detects smoke. By setting up this kind of system, you can ensure all of your home’s alarms sound at once if a fire occurs. Although there

How New Light Fixtures Improve Energy Efficiency In these uncertain times of high energy costs and availability, who isn’t looking for ways to increase energy efficiency? The federal Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, or EERE, estimates that it costs the average U.S. household nearly $2,000 annually to provide their heating, cooling and other energy needs. We’ve all heard the usual recommendations to conserve energy. “Turn off the lights when you leave the room”

Pendant vs Recessed Lights When it’s done right, modern lighting multitasks. It creates atmosphere, delivers the desired light for the situation, and can even help keep energy costs lower. With so many choices on the menu, selecting the best option for your space can be tough. If you’re redoing the lighting in your dining room, how do you choose between recessed and pendant lights? What Are Recessed Lights? Also called downlights or can lights, recessed

Generator Options for Your Business Power Needs When disaster strikes and your power goes out, every second counts. Your cash register goes quiet, your security cameras shut off and your online systems suddenly go offline. Now you’re bleeding revenue and customers. For businesses in Central Florida, summer storms and random outages are a fact of life. This means that having a reliable backup generator isn’t just convenient, it’s critical. If you want to get the

 The Biggest Electrical Risks in Restaurants Restaurants are normally ideal settings for people to gather and enjoy nice meals, but these establishments can sometimes be dangerous places because of certain electrical hazards. If you own or manage a restaurant, you should be aware of the different electrical risks so that you can take the appropriate measures to avoid electric shock, electrical fires and other dangers that could put your customers and employees in harm’s way.