Remodeling & New Construction Talk...

8 Critical Safety Concerns to Discuss with

Your Contractor

In our area, we see many homes built and remodeled without regard for critical safety concerns. We recommend discussing these concerns as they apply to your new construction or remodeling project.

Electrical Panels:

Many homes in our area were built with Federal Pacific Electrical. These panels work well for years, but after an overcurrent or short circuit, they can fail to trip, overheat, and catch fire. Ryan Paschall of Pegasus Electric advises, “If your home has an older electrical panel, or one known for not tripping properly, it should be replaced.”

Grounded Wiring:

Older homes were not designed for today’s electrical consumption. Today’s homes must have a ground connection to ensure that the current will flow through the ground system and trip a breaker rather than through an electrical appliance, causing a fire or electrocution. Contractors shouldn’t simply work around outdated wiring, but should bring it up to code.

GFCI Interrupters:

In all wet areas, GFCI interrupters should be installed. These prevent electrocution and fires when liquids inevitably come into contact with electrical currents.

Furnace Heat Exchangers and Carbon Monoxide:

Cast iron heat exchangers inside the furnace tend to become brittle and crack after ten years of use. Barry Martin of Bel-Air Mechanical warns, “This causes carbon monoxide to leak out into the home through the vents. It’s one reason why you should have your furnace and carbon monoxide detectors regularly checked.”

Furnace Gas and Exhaust

Connections:

Furnaces more than ten years old were

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not built to today’s safety codes. We often find leaking gas connections, putting residents at risk for fire, and leaking exhaust connections which blow carbon monoxide into the attic, closets, and the air you breathe.

Venting of Hot Water Heater:

After storms, we’ve seen many slightly dislocated hot water heater or furnace vents. If the housing shifts even slightly, the vent may not work, subjecting residents to carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s something to check after any roofing job, and once every three years regardless.

Tempered Windows:

Low windows and door windows should be tempered glass. If you or your child runs or bumps into a tempered window, it will crumble in thousands of pieces, rather than fall in a sheet.

Water Cutoff:

Older homes aren’t set up to enable easy water shutoff in the event of a pipe leak. We’ve seen this result in flooding, as residents are powerless to do anything but watch the water destroy their homes. Proper water shutoffs are part of every new home we build, and a consideration in many remodeling projects.

Contact Our Contractors

Ryan Paschall • (214) 821-2223

PegasusElectricCompany.com

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“The tables next to the east-facing window might be a great spot from which to view next year’s Greenville St. Patrick’s Day parade!” —Mick on Restaurant talk: Grub Burger Bar

“There is also an organizational issue between my parents, my in-laws and us (yes all three homes lost power in different parts of East Dallas), we spoke with four different non-Oncor teams, mostly from out of state, who said Oncor had the worst organization and dispatching they had ever seen. These guys are used to mutual aid situations and travel a lot to other parts of the country to help out in disasters. Showing up to be dispatched and waiting HOURS for an assignment is deplorable.” —BG on During widespread power outages, how does Oncor determine priority?

WANT MORE?

Barry Martin • (469) 334-0196

Bel-AirMechanical.com

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