What's The Difference Between A Power Surge And A Power Outage?
Archive for February, 2010
Preparing For a Cyclone
Feb 28th
Prepare an Emergency Kit
- A portable battery radio, torch and spare batteries;
- Water containers, dried or canned food and a can opener;
- Matches, fuel lamp, portable stove, cooking gear, eating utensils;
- A first aid kit, masking tape for windows and waterproof bags for valuable items;
- And keep a list of emergency phone numbers on display;
Stock up on items such as, bottled water, food, clothing, medication, toiletries, radio, batteries etc.
Trim treetops and branches well clear of your home and clear the gutters and drains free from leaves and other matter that may block any storm water. (get council permission in removal of trees).
Clear your property of any loose material that could blow about and possibly cause injury or damage during extreme winds.
In case of a storm surge, or flooding, know your nearest high point and the access to it.
If you consider your home unsafe you should make your own arrangements as early as possible to avoid any traffic chaos.
Buildings used for Evacuation Centres are typically schools; it is not recommended people go there unless officially told.
Your home is often the safest place for you and your family.
A Cyclone Watch is issued when gale force or stronger winds may affect the area with-in the next 24-48 hours.
Re-check your property for loose material and tie down (or fill with water) all large, relatively light items such as boats and rubbish bins.
Fill the vehicles’ fuel tank. Check your emergency kit and fill water containers. Locate the strongest part of the house and what you and the family can do during the event.
Tune to your local radio/TV for further information and warnings.
Check that neighbours are aware of the situation and are preparing.
A Cyclone Warning is issued when gale force or stronger winds are expected to affect the area with-in the next 24 hours.
If requested by local authorities, collect children from school or childcare centre and go home.
Park the vehicles under solid shelter.
Place wooden or plastic outdoor furniture in your pool or inside with other loose items.
Heavily tape all windows inside and out, close curtains and close all doors.
Remain indoors and stay tuned to your local radio/TV for further information.
When the Cyclone Strikes
Disconnect all electrical appliances and listen to your battery radio for updates.
Stay inside and shelter in the strongest part of the building, (stay well clear of any windows).
The cellar, internal hallway, bathroom or toilet is usually the safest place.
If the building starts to break up, protect yourself with mattresses, rugs or blankets under a strong table or bench or hold onto a solid fixture like a water pipe.
Beware the of “Eye of the Storm”
If the wind drops, don’t assume the cyclone is over; violent winds will soon resume from another direction as the storm moves through. Cyclones move in a clock-wise direction and the eye can be 10-100km wide. Always listen to the radio to be sure when the storm is finished.
If you get caught in the storm while driving, stop the vehicle and park well away from the sea and clear of trees, power lines and streams; stay in the vehicle and listen to the radio if in range.
After The Cyclone Make Sure You
- Don’t go outside until advised it is safe.
- Check for gas leaks.
- Don’t use electric appliances if wet.
- Listen to local radio for official warnings and advice.
- Stay indoors until it is officially safe to start the clean up.
- Don’t make unnecessary telephone calls.
- If you had to evacuate, don’t return until advised. Use a recommended route and don’t rush!
- Pay attention to all warnings and don’t go sightseeing.
Beware of broken power lines, flooded bridges, fallen trees, and never enter floodwaters!
Keep in mind the dangers of electricity and water!
Never assume that broken power lines are dead; they will be live until emergency services arrive.
Stay well away until the problem is fixed!
The main sources of cyclone information is the radio and television stations, during a cyclone threat, some stations will keep local staff on duty 24 hours a day to broadcast cyclone information. The Bureau of Meteorology also provides the latest watches, warnings and tracking information on its web site
Australian Freelance Writer/Journalist jamiestone4870@hotmail.com copyright 2006
Standby Home Generators
Feb 27th
Power outages are inconvenient and can cause many problems for homeowners. Violent storms and other types of bad weather can cause these power outages, making them very common. To avoid this problem, people are installing standby home generators. With a standby home generator, enough power can be restored to your home to live a relatively normal life during this crucial time.
Standby home generators are permanent. They are installed outside the home and activate just like a central air conditioning system, but instead of turning on when it’s warm inside, they turn on when sensing the loss of electricity. This type of generator is much more commanding than one that is portable, supplying power to a much larger amount of circuits.
When a blackout occurs, the standby home generator automatically activates itself and starts delivering electricity to circuits that have been selected by the homeowner. The machine is able to perceive when power has been lost through the emergency load center and transfer switch. When this is sensed the generator starts and supplies service to the home. This powering system has an engine and runs off of LP or natural gas. The generator is attached to the gas line and through this produces electricity.
Depending on what is chosen to be powered, a standby generator can sustain up to twelve circuits. It can give energy to light the living room or kitchen, to power the furnace, or even to keep heating and cooling systems running.
The generator will run once per week for a few minutes to ensure that the system is working correctly. Having the generator run when there is not a power outage also accommodates the need to keep the engine lubricated.
Standby home generators are tailored to the needs of homeowners that require the benefits of home comfort systems. Having one of these systems can really serve as quite the convenience when dealing with the difficulty of a power outage.
Kathleen Whitlow is a marketing agent and copywriter of Arundel Cooling and Heating Company. The heating and air conditioning contractor provides comfort services throughout Maryland and the surrounding areas. For more information on their Generators in Maryland please visit their website.
Affordable Solar Power – Convert Your House and Save!
Feb 26th
Affordable solar power. Impossible you say? If you have been thinking solar lately, you have been on the right track. Residential solar power kits are now within your reach and is one of many reasons to consider the switch.
The huge spikes in energy we’ve seen lately are not about to go away any time soon. We are rapidly reaching a critical mass situation when it comes to trying to meet our energy needs.
We must also admit our environment is taking a beating. The planet gets more polluted by the day and now 3rd world countries are developing quickly and the worlds thirst for oil is nearly insatiable. We now use more fossil fuel than we refine.
These are but a couple of good reasons to consider and now it’s rapidly becoming the time for you to start thinking about your energy independence. Just like each nation needs energy independence so do the folks!
Current technology has now improved out ability to power up our homes with new state of the are residential solar power kits. Now, virtually every power consumption item in your home can be powered by solar energy.
These new affordable solar power kits are not only very easy to install but maintenance is a snap. Prices which were once out of reach for most people and now at record lows and are becoming more affordable by the day.
What does a solar power kit involve and how does it work? Will it truly benefit me? Technology has taken the mystery out of how these system work and they are less difficult to understand so lets explore those questions just a bit.
Residential solar power kits are made up of many different modules and when putting these modules together can power everything in your house. Photovoltaic cells which are also known as photoelectric cells are the main source of conversion.
Solar panels are made up of the cells and are arranged in such a fashion that they soak up the power given off by the sun.
Energy from the sun is then converted into electricity which is then stored in deep cycle marine batteries and then can be further converted into AC power or used as straight DC power by use of power converters.
Depending on the number of panels you install, it is possible to power up your entire house and get rid of the electric bill forever! Not only that but excess power can be pushed back out into the grid and sold back to the power company.
There are also modules in which you can use for more specific things as water heaters, solar furnaces and more and I have addressed those in other articles. Solar energy can also power up everything in your yard as well and need not be confined to just the house.
Many new companies are now producing affordable solar power kits employing the latest technology which allows you to completely fulfill your residential solar power needs as soon as today.
The cost saving you will experience with be seen immediately and these systems can pay for themselves rapidly over time. Detailed plans for adding these affordable solar power systems to you home can be found on the web if you know where to look. Installation is easy and energy independence can finally be yours!
Residential solar power kits are now easy to find and install. Stop by our site today and find out all the tons ways you can save huge with Affordable Solar Getting off the grid is right here at Residential Solar Power Kits! Copyright 2008 Residential Solar Power Kits Dot Com
Electrical Systems: Insurance & Electrical
Feb 25th
More and more frequently insurance companies are refusing to insure homes with 60 amp services, knob and tube wiring, and in some cases, even aluminum wiring. Does this mean these types of components or systems are categorically dangerous? No. Like all electrical components, they can be dangerous is they do not meet certain minimum requirements, but they can also be as safe as any others.
The Consumer Division of the Insurance Bureau of Canada operates an information line at 1-800-387-2880 that can answer some questions with respect to how to obtain insurance on homes equipped with 60 amp services, knob & tube and aluminum wiring.
60 Amp Services
Most standard sized homes built prior to the 1960’s were equipped with a 60 amp electrical service. This size of service was reasonably well suited to the needs of living at the time. However, the search for convenience and enhanced lifestyle has generally increased the demand on the electrical systems of homes today.
A common misunderstanding is that the ampacity (size, or capacity) of a home’s electrical service is determined by checking the main breaker or fuses or the rating imprinted on the panel. This method of determining size is fraught with problems as the ratings of breakers, fuses and panels may correlate to the size of the electrical service, but in many cases they don’t. The panel could have been upgraded without upgrading the service wires.
Electric Service Entry
The size of an electrical service is established by the ampacity (capacity) of the incoming service wires. The only reliable method of determining the size of the service is to observe and correctly identify the size of the incoming wires and the related equipment (mast, meter base, etc.).
It is becoming a common belief that electrical services less than 100 amps are inadequate, therefore unsafe and therefore, they must be upgraded. Smaller electrical services, such as 60 amps a not necessarily unsafe and are not categorically inadequate. A 60 amp service will however, limit the number of appliances that can be used at any one time.
For safey and practical purposes the adequacy of an electrical service should be judged against the size of the potential or expected load it will be required to carry. To some degree the load is determined by the size and number of circuits in the home and by the size of the home.
One indication of a service that is undersized for the demands applied to it is the blowing or popping of the main fuses or breaker switch. If the main fuses or breaker is affected, the service is probably undersized. If the service is undersized for the current demands, increasing the size of the service is one option; an alternative is to reduce the quantity of heavy loads such as the oven, clothes dryer or water heater. Central air-conditioners also draw heavy current and the installation of one may require the upgrading of the electrical service.
Another common belief is that if an individual circuit breaker pops or a fuse blows on a regular basis, the service requires upgrading. Problems with individual circuit breakers or fuses indicate only that the circuit involved has a problem and most likely, it is more heavily loaded than it was designed to be. A service upgrade would not necessarily solve this problem. What is probably needed is to reduce the load on the affected circuit, possibly by introducing another circuit into the area where it’s needed.
“Knob & Tube” Wiring
Knob & tube wiring is a type of wiring which was in common use until the 1940’s and sometimes used as late as the 1950’s. The nick-name is derived from the ceramic knobs that are employed to insulate and secure the wiring runs and the ceramic tubes employed to protect the wires where they pass thru potentially abrasive materials (primarily wood joists, studs etc.) Unlike subsequent wiring systems where all the wires in a run are enclosed in a cable, the two wires (black/hot and white/neutral) run separately and only come together at a terminal (switch, receptacle, fixture, junction box etc.).
Knob & Tube Wiring
Knob & tube wiring does not provide a third wire for grounding and is therefore considered unsafe in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and outdoors. In other areas, knob & tube wiring that is in good condition with sheathing intact, properly protected from damage, and that hasn’t been subjected to extended periods of overloading which can cause it to become brittle, should not pose an increased safety risk.
Aside from the preceding concerns, the primary risk with knob & tube wiring, it seems, is it’s relative accessibility for amateur repairs, upgrades and maintenance. It is not uncommon to see a system with knob & tube wiring that has a history of amateur work (poorly joined connections, unfastened runs, unprotected wires, etc.). If a house does have knob & tube wiring wiring it should be inspected to ensure that it is properly installed and in good condition.
Note: Many older homes with originally installed knob & tube wiring have had some of the wiring upgraded. While modern wiring is visible in many areas, much of the knob & tube wiring may still be in place and concealed beneath floors, above ceilings and hehind walls.
If a few, but not all, of the circuits are in poor condition they can be replaced eventually without rewiring the whole house. However, if most or all of the circuits are in poor condition, it may be more economical to completely rewire the home. Rewiring can also allow the electrical system to be more convenient as the new circuits can be designed to accomodate the present lifestyle of the occupants of the home.
Copyright Gil Strachan – All rights reserved.
Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home inspections.
“The Home Reference Book”
You can probably find a home inspection for a little less than what we ask, but you probably won’t find the Home Reference Book. A $60 value, this solutions-oriented reference tool comes free with every inspection we perform.
It’s the first tool you should have around the house!
The Services Offered by Electricians
Feb 24th
When you are having problems with your electrical system, the best person to call is your electrician. Electricians are professionals trained in the proper care, handling, and maintenance electrical wiring, systems, and equipment.
Electricians are generally divided into two groups. The first group is the one in charge of construction of electrical systems. The second one is responsible for maintaining these systems. They are also responsible for doing repairs and upgrades to electrical equipment.
Electricians need to pass certain training before being certified as a qualified electrician. Most countries have regulations when it comes to the electrician profession due to the safety issues surrounding the nature of their job. Typically, they have to serve an apprenticeship program. The program usually takes about 3 to 5 years under direct supervision of a master electrician.
Electrical wiring systems in buildings are installed by electricians. Electricians are the only ones qualified to install, upgrade, and maintain electrical systems, equipment, and wirings.
Good electricians have undergone rigorous trainings and seminars to keep them updated on the current technology. For your safety, it is much better to let a qualified electrician do their job when you have problems in your electrical system. Electricity is very dangerous and can easily injure or kill a person when not handled well.
Electrical appliances are precision instruments and are very sensitive. Tinkering with one may damage or completely destroy your equipment. In most cases, it will even invalidate a warranty. A qualified electrician can work on your household appliances for you, fixing them while keeping your home safe.
Want to read more of this article? You can read more tips on The Services Offered by Electricians [http://yourfriendlyelectrician.com/The+Services+Offered+by+Electricians.2717.htm]
Hunma