What Happens During an Electrical Fire

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What happens during an electrical fire? What causes electrical fires?
Can electrical fires be prevented?  What are the best safeguards to preventing electrical fires?  There is a simple answer to all of these questions...

What Causes Electrical Fires?

What causes electrical fires? According to the website Fire Rescue 1:
"According to the U.S. Fire Administration, in 2014, electrical fires accounted for 6.3 percent, nearly 24,000 fires, of all residential fires, 11 percent of the fires where someone died and 7 percent of the fires where someone was injured.
The months with the most electrical fires are December and January due to increased use of heating appliances and lights. Most electrical fires start in the bedroom, but the highest number of fatalities occur with fires located in the living room, family room and den.
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Some electrical fires happen because of problems in house wiring or appliance failure, but many occur due to mistakes that homeowners make like overloading electrical outlets or extension cords.
When working with members of your community on fire and life safety, it is important to teach the common causes of electrical fires. Here are the 5 most common causes of electrical fires.
1. Faulty outlets, appliances
Most electrical fires are caused by faulty electrical outlets and old, outdated appliances. Other fires are started by faults in appliance cords, receptacles and switches. Never use an appliance with a worn or frayed cord which can send heat onto combustible surfaces like floors, curtains, and rugs that can start a fire.
2. Light fixtures
Light fixtures, lamps and light bulbs are another common reason for electrical fires. Installing a bulb with a wattage that is too high for the lamps and light fixtures is a leading cause of electrical fires. Always check the maximum recommended bulb wattage on any lighting fixture or lamp and never go over the recommended amount.
Another cause of fire is placing materials like cloth or paper over a lampshade. The material heats up and ignites, causing a fire. Faulty lamps and light fixtures also frequently result in fires.
3. Extension cords
Misuse of extension cords is another electrical fire cause. Appliances should be plugged directly into outlet and not plugged into an extension cord for any length of time. Only use extension cords as a temporary measure. If you do not have the appropriate type of outlets for your appliances, hire an electrician to install new ones.
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How You Can Prevent Electrical Fires

The last point in the article excerpt gives you the answer to how to prevent electrical fires.  You can prevent them by hiring a licensed electrician contractor.
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1815 W 1st Ave Suite 119,
Mesa, AZ 85202
(480) 926-1033
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The Insider's Guide to Electrical Contractors in Mesa

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Let's say you want to hire an electrical contractor in Mesa.  What do you look for?

The Qualifications of an Electrical Contractor

First off, he should have a license.  Does he have a record at the Arizona Registrar of Contractors?  If not, why? If you have established the fact that they have a record with the ROC, do they have any complaints filed, either with the ROC or some other body such as the Better Business Bureau, review sites, etc.
A complaint is not necessarily a bar to hiring them. Look over the complaint thoroughly. If it is a complaint about the way the electrician acted, that's iffy.  However, if it is a matter of incompetence, go find another qualified Mesa electrician instead of just picking the wrong one.  Next up, look at their hours of operation.

Find an Electrician Who Works With You As Well as For You

If they're only open Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm, and you work those hours then you'd better have someone at the house to let them in to work or take the day off.  Sounds a bit daunting, but under no circumstances, should you try to fix your wiring yourself, and here's why.  You can put your home and in some cases your life in jeopardy.
Simply mixing aluminum and copper wiring together can cause a chemical reaction later on that can cause an electrical fire.  If you mix the wrong gauges of wire together, it can cause a short, or if you put too much on an electrical circuit it can cause a breaker to constantly trip.  We once had a client who added a home office.  He thought that he could do everything from the framing to the wiring.  He did a good job on the framing, to his credit, but the wiring, well not as much.  He was lucky.   All that happened was the breaker tripped, and it shorted out a light switch.  In another time and place however, he could have easily seen an electrical fire engulf his home.
Surprisingly, doing your own wiring yourself doesn't always save you money.  If, for example, you don't know what you're doing, you'll have to pay an electrician to come in and fix the problem.  And you will have ended up wasting money on all of the tools and supplies that you bought.
So be smart.  Do it right the first time.  Hire a licensed electrician in Mesa instead.
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Dodge Electric
1815 W 1st Ave Suite 119,
Mesa, AZ 85202
(480) 926-1033
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Hiring A Professional Electrician To Fix Or Upgrade Your Wiring (Conclusion)

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An electrician contractor is someone that you should rely on for any sort of electrical repairs or wiring upgrades.
As we covered previously,while it’s perfectly reasonable to get a second opinion, the one thing you cannot afford to do is ignore the recommendation of the electrician you have hired.

You May Want To Upgrade Your Wiring Even If There Aren’t Any Signs That There Is A Problem

Most of the time you'll probably want your home’s wiring repaired or upgraded is if there are signs that there is a problem. However, there may be times that you decide it’s in your best interest to upgrade your wiring even if there aren’t any obvious signs that there is a problem. Once such situation is if your home has legacy aluminum wiring.
Today, copper wiring is the industry standard for all electrical wiring. Unfortunately, in the past aluminum was a favored wiring material because it was cheaper than copper. Aluminum wiring has two problems, however.  For one aluminum  expands and contracts depending on the temperature, which can lead to frayed and exposed wires. Second, if someone patches your aluminum wiring with copper wiring, then you have a time bomb on your hand.  When aluminum and copper are mixed together, If you have aluminum wiring in your home, then you should probably strongly consider upgrading your wiring.

Make Sure That You Only Hire A Professional Electrician

Another scenario in which you may want to consider having your wiring upgraded even if there isn’t a pressing need is if you are upgrading a lot of the features in your home that are wired in. For example, if you are putting in new lighting, fans, and other fixtures throughout your home, it may be worth the additional expense to go ahead and upgrade your wiring while you are at it. While it will cost more to do this, it will save you money because you will be combining the process of upgrading your wiring and fixtures at the same time, which will save you on labor costs.
Electrical safety should always be the primary motivating factor that drives you if you are deciding to fix your wiring or upgrade your wiring. You need to be safe by having the job done the right way, and you also need to be safe by not attempting to do it yourself unless you are qualified. That means you need a qualified professional electrician contractor, that is licensed, bonded, and insured. Hiring anyone else that doesn’t meet these standards, or attempting the work yourself, could turn out to be a very costly mistake.
So be sure to do some research and take your time.  That way you know you've found the best electrician in Mesa.
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1815 W 1st Ave Suite 119,
Mesa, AZ 85202
(480) 926-1033
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Hiring A Professional Electrician To Fix Or Upgrade Your Wiring (Continued)

Hiring a professional electrician in Chandler is crucial, both to avoid electrical injury, or damage from bad wiring...

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How Can You Tell If You've Got Wiring Problems?

As we covered previously, One major sign that you probably have a serious problem is if you ever experience a faint, or not so faint, a shock when you turn on an electrical appliance or switch. If this ever happens then you need to contact a professional right away, and you should also avoid using that appliance or switch until it has been checked out to ensure that it is safe.
One thing you should never see on an electrical outlet is any kind of char or burn marks, and the outlet should never be warm to the touch. These are also clear signs that you need to fix your wiring, and in this case, it’s another instance where you can’t really afford to put off fixing the problem. If you spot any frayed wires or exposed wires, this is also a clear indicator that it’s time to call out a professional. The final major sign you should always be on the lookout for isn’t a sign at all, it’s an odor. If you smell burning of any kind, especially burning plastic, then you need to shut off whatever you think is causing the odor and contact an electrician contractor right away.

Deciding To Upgrade Your Wiring Is A Good Investment

If your home is experiencing any signs that there is an electrical problem you can often get away with just having the problem repaired. This is the less expensive approach, and most of the time it is sufficient to safely address the problem. One thing you should always do when you have an electrician come to your home is actually listen to their recommendations. If they tell you that you need to upgrade your wiring, then you probably do need to upgrade your wiring. Now, if you need to upgrade your wiring this can be a rather expensive prospect, so getting a second opinion may be in order. While it’s perfectly reasonable to get a second opinion, the one thing you cannot afford to do is ignore the recommendation of the electrician you have hired.
So do your homework, and trust your gut.  That way you'll know you've found the best electrician in Chandler.
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Dodge Electric
1815 W 1st Ave Suite 119,
Mesa, AZ 85202
(480) 926-1033
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