Things you can do as a home owner

Here on this page we talk about what you, a home owner, can do to prevent an electrical fire in your house, we give advice on what to look for as your house ages, discuss how to prepare for an electrician to visit your home, and what to expect from your electrician.

Staying Safe Around Electricity

When Buying a house

When buying a house the most important things to look for are the wires that are exposed and what type of panel you have. You want to avoid these panel brands: Challenger, Pushmatic, Federal Pacific, Zinsco, and any that have rust or are making weird noises.

Knob and Tube

Knob and Tube is a old style of wiring that should be addressed immediately. This type of wiring came about around the 1880's, and was discounted around 1940. It stands out with its cloth coated wires and its porcelain tubes to help insulate them from wooden framing members. We recommend having this removed as soon as possible.

Generator Safety

Once the power goes out your first response is to get the generator going to keep the house going. If you have a portable generator we recommend not to put it in the garage when running due to carbon monoxide poisoning. We suggest putting it a safe distance away from the house.

How to prepare for your electrician

here are the best ways to prepare for your electrician: Have three feet of clearance to your electrical panel, clear any trash or debris that may hinder the inspection process, and ask as many questions as you can during the inspection process so you don't have any surprises.

When the electrician shows up

Your electrician should arrive on a timely manner. They should have clean clothes, be knowledgeable in the field, and be able to answer any questions you may have or have the resources to find that answer.

When to address the problem

In today's day and age we totally understand putting off electrical problems but we don't recommend that. At Big Guy Electric we can provide ways to fix these problems and can recommend a regular maintenance schedule so those problems will not reoccur.

Have a fire extinguisher near by

The best extinguisher to have for electrical fires would be a class C. We recommend to keep this fire extinguisher readily accessible.

When in doubt

At the end of the day if you're unsure about anything, call your local electrician and have them help you so your family can stay safe and along with your house. Big Guy Electric by no means recommends you working on your own electrical system in your house. When in doubt call Big Guy.