20 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring an Electrician (Full Report)

8/7/2019 20 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring an Electrician (Full Report)

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COPYRIGHT NOTICE

20 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring an Electrician

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BeAwareEarly.com 20 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring an Electrician

Table of Contents

Description Page No.Introduction . 4

Chapter 1 (Introduction) . 5

What to do before the fire strikes.. 6 15

What to do during the fire . 15 18

What to do after the fire . 18 19

Chapter 2 (Practical solution while hiring an electrician. 20

Electrical systems and appliances 21 22

Electrical circuits and equipment ... 22 24

Electrical appliances........................................................ 24 27

Grounding . 27

Chapter 3Tips for consumers .... 28 30

Advices ... 31 33

Things to do before singing a contract ... 33 36

Closure .. 37


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20 Things You Need to Know before Hiring

an Electrician

Introduction

Before everything you have in life will come to nothing, this ebook will

be a great help and guide to any emergency that will step in. The

specific and detailed information on how you can cure and apply the

necessary steps and remedy during a critical situations is being pointedout step by step in the right way.


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Chapter 1

In this chapter we will give you the appropriate steps on the things you

need to do during an emergency case of fire.

Before calling the services of an electrician, you need to do some

primary procedure to prevent the situation become worst.


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The following are things you can do to protect yourself, your family, and

your property in the event of a fire:

1)What to do before the fire strikes.

a)Smoke Alarms

Install smoke alarms. Properly working smoke alarms decrease

your chances of dying in a fire by half.

Place smoke alarms on every level of your residence. Place them

outside bedrooms on the ceiling or high on the wall (4 to 12

inches from ceiling), at the top of open stairways, or at the

bottom of enclosed stairs and near (but not in) the kitchen.


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Test and clean smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries

at least once a year. Replace smoke alarms once every 10 years.

b) Escaping the Fire

Review escape routes with your family. Practice escaping from

each room.

Make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut. Make sure

security gratings on windows have a fire safety opening feature so

they can be easily opened from the inside.


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Consider escape ladders if your residence has more than one

level, and ensure that burglar bars and other antitheft

mechanisms that block outside window entry are easily openedfrom the inside.

Teach family members to stay low to the floor (where the air is

safer in a fire) when escaping from a fire.

Clean out storage areas. Do not let trash, such as old newspapers

and magazines to accumulate.


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c)Flammable Items

Never use gasoline, benzine, naphtha, or similar flammable liquids

indoors.

Store flammable liquids in approved containers in well-ventilated

storage areas.

Never smoke near flammable liquids.

Discard all rags or materials that have been soaked in flammable

liquids after you have used them. Safely discard them outdoors in

a metal container.


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Insulate chimneys and place spark arresters on top. The chimney

should be at least three feet higher than the roof. Remove

branches hanging above and around the chimney.

d) Heating Sources

Be careful when using alternative heating sources.

Check with your local fire department on the legality of using

kerosene heaters in your community. Be sure to fill keroseneheaters outside, and be sure they have cooled.


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Place heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials.

Make sure the floor and nearby walls are properly insulated.

Use only the type of fuel designated for your unit and follow

manufacturers instructions.

Store ashes in a metal container outside and away from your

residence.

Keep open flames away from walls, furniture, drapery, andflammable items.


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Keep a screen in front of the fireplace.

Have heating units inspected and cleaned annually by a certified

specialist.

e)Matches and Smoking

Keep matches and lighters up high, away from children, and, if

possible, in a locked cabinet.

Never smoke in bed or when drowsy or medicated. Provide

smokers with deep, sturdy ashtrays. Douse cigarette and cigar

butts with water before disposal.


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f)Electrical Wiring

Have the electrical wiring in your residence checked by an

electrician.

Inspect extension cords for frayed or exposed wires or loose

plugs.

Make sure outlets have cover plates and no exposed wiring.

Make sure wiring does not run under rugs, over nails, or across

high-traffic areas.


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Do not overload extension cords or outlets. If you need to plug in

two or three appliances, get a UL-approved unit with built-in

circuit breakers to prevent sparks and short circuits.

Make sure insulation does not touch bare electrical wiring.

g)Other

Sleep with your door closed.

Install A-B-C-type fire extinguishers in your residence and teachfamily members how to use them.


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Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your

residence.

Ask your local fire department to inspect your residence for fire

safety and prevention.

2)What to do during the fire.

If your clothes catch on fire, you should:

Stop, drop, and roll - until the fire is extinguished. Running onlymakes the fire burn faster.


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To escape a fire, you should:

Check closed doors for heat before you open them. If you are

escaping through a closed door, use the back of your hand to feel

the top of the door, the doorknob, and the crack between the

door and door frame before you open it. Never use the palm of

your hand or fingers to test for heat - burning those areas could

impair your ability to escape a fire (i.e., ladders and crawling)

Hot Door Do not open. Escape through a window. If you cannot

escape, hang a white or light-colored sheet outside the window,

alerting fire fighters to your presence.


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Cool Door Open slowly and ensure fire and/or smoke is not

blocking your escape route. If your escape route is blocked, shut

the door immediately and use an alternate escape route, such as

a window. If clear, leave immediately through the door and close

it behind you. Be prepared to crawl. Smoke and heat rise. The air

is clearer and cooler near the floor.

Crawl low under any smoke to your exit - heavy smoke and

poisonous gases collect first along the ceiling.

Close doors behind you as you escape to delay the spread of the

fire.


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Stay out once you are safely out. Do not reenter. Call 9-1-1.

3)What to do after the fire.

The following are guidelines for different circumstances in the

period following a fire:

If you are with burn victims, or are a burn victim yourself, call 9-

1-1; cool and cover burns to reduce chance of further injury or

infection.


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If you detect heat or smoke when entering a damaged building,

evacuate immediately.

If you are a tenant, contact the landlord.

If you have a safe or strong box, do not try to open it. It can holdintense heat for several hours. If the door is opened before the

box has cooled, the contents could burst into flames.

If you must leave your home because a building inspector saysthe building is unsafe, ask someone you trust to watch the

property during your absence.


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Chapter 2

Practical solution when the flood strikes, while your hiring the services

of an electrician.


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Once the flood strikes you can not do anything about it but you can

check the following things and secure them before the electrician arrive.

1) Electrical Systems and Appliancesa)GENERAL CLEAN-UP AND WHAT TO DO BEFORE THE

ELECTRICIAN ARRIVES

Restoring the electrical system and evaluating damage to

appliances are high priorities after a flood. But before your

electrical system is turned on, it should be thoroughly

checked for short circuits by an electrician or other

competent person. Ask your power supplier for advice andassistance.


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Before entering your home after the flood, be sure that the

electricity has been completely shut off. Appliances should

not be operated until they have been thoroughly cleaned andreconditioned. Running equipment before it is properly

cleaned could seriously damage it and may cause electrical

shock.

2) ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS AND EQUIPMENTThings to do before the electrician arrive:

Have electricity shut off at both the meter and in the

buildings. When touching switches, stand on a dry board anduse a dry stick or rubber gloves to pull handles.


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Remove covers from all switches, convenience outlets, light

outlets and junction boxes that have been under water.

If a box is filled with mud, remove the screws that hold the

receptacle or the switch in place. Pull receptacle, switch and

wires out about two inches from box. Clean out all mud and

dirt. Do not remove electrical connections. Leave boxes openfor electrician.

Remove all fuses and covers from entrance panel. Clean out

all mud. Wires can be moved, but do not disconnect.


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For some equipment, such as pumps, a temporary line can be

installed by an electrician until the permanent wiring has a

chance to dry.

3) ELECTRICAL APPLIANCESHere are some general rules to follow:

Television sets and radios. Professional cleaning is

recommended for these types of appliances. There is a danger

of shock because certain internal parts can store electricity even

when the appliance is unplugged. Check the back for a warning

label. Get a cost estimate before repairs to see if the applianceis worth saving.


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Motorized appliances. These include the washing machine,

dryer, dishwasher and vacuum cleaner. Professional cleaning of

the motor and other parts is recommended. However, you canclean the exterior surfaces in the meantime.

a)Use a heavy-duty cleaner and hot water to remove stains andsilt deposits. Follow up with a rinse solution of 2 tablespoons

chlorine bleach to each quart of water.

b)When removing gritty deposits, rinse your cloth in waterfrequently to avoid scratching enamel or metal surfaces.


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c) Clean and disinfect dishwashers, washing machines and

dryers only with water that has been declared safe to drink.

Refrigerators, freezers and ovens. These appliances may have

foam insulation and sealed components that suffer little water

damage. But since they hold food, they should be cleaned,

disinfected and checked by a professional or replaced. If

replacement is recommended, get the opinion in writing and

discuss it with your insurance adjuster before money is spentfor a new appliance.

Heating appliances. Disconnect hot water heaters and remove

all panels and any flood-soaked insulation. Have an electricianor professional repair person clean and restore the unit to

working order.


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Lights and lamps. Remove fixtures that were submerged. Clean

outlet boxes, sockets and wiring. Floor or table lamps should be

completely disassembled and cleaned. Damaged cords and

plugs should be replaced. Consider taking lamps to an appliance

shop unless you are familiar with these repairs.

4) GROUNDINGAll metallic appliances that have been flooded should be

properly grounded to prevent electric shock. Mud or dirt in a

grounded outlet or adapter may prevent the grounding systemfrom working, and you could be electrocuted. If you are unsure

if your electrical system is properly grounded, call an electrician.


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Chapter 3

Tips and advises before hiring the services of an electrician.

T I P S F O R C O N S UME R S

Contact Consumer Affairs to see if consumers have filed any

complaints against the contractor and to ensure the contractor is

registered.

Get written estimates from at least three contractors. Ask the

contractors how long they have been in business, if they have


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liability insurance (as required by law) and whether they will be

using subcontractors on the project.

Contact the references your contractor gives you. Ask them

whether the job was completed on time, whether there were any

unexpected costs, whether the workers showed up on time and

cleaned up when they finished, and whether they would use thecontractor again.

Ask your contractor about his or her professional affiliations and

confirm the information with those organizations.


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Investigate financing options for your project. Shop for credit and

be sure you understand the annual percentage rate you will have to

pay.

Do not pay for the entire job up front. The customary arrangementis one-third in advance, one-third halfway through the job and one-

third upon completion. You may consider paying base on the

progress billing. Do not pay with cash.


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ADVICE:

Things to consider when hiring a contractor:

Get a written estimate. Compare services and prices before making

a final selection;

Ask for proof of insurance. Make sure the contractor carries general

liability insurance and workers' compensation. If the contractor isnot insured, the homeowner may be liable for accidents that occur

on the property;

Insist on a written contract. A contract should clearly state all tasks

to be performed, all costs and the payment schedule. Never sign ablank contract or one with blank spaces. Make sure the contract

states who will apply for the necessary permits or licenses. Keep a

copy for your files;


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Get any guarantees in writing. Any guarantees made by the

contractor should be written into the contract. The guaranteeshould clearly state what is guaranteed, who is responsible for the

guarantee and how long the guarantee is valid;

Make final payment only when the work is completed. Do not sign

completion papers or make the final payment until the work iscompleted to your satisfaction. A reputable contractor will not

threaten or pressure you to sign if the job is not finished properly;

Pay by check. Do not pay with cash. The safest route is to write a

check to the contracting company. A reasonable down payment is

30 percent of the total cost of the project, to be paid upon delivery

of materials;


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Cancellation of Contract. This should be done within three business

days of signing. Be sure to follow the procedures for cancellation

that are set out in the contract. Send the notification by registeredmail with a return receipt to be signed by the contractor.

Things To Do Before Signing a Contract

Always get three 3 bids or estimates before signing a contract orgiving the contractor a deposit.

Each contractor should have a contractors number listed on his

contract that you can use to verify with the our Contractor Licensing

Office.

Make sure the work to be done is in writing on the contract

regardless of how minute.


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Make sure all warranties are listed on the contract - not verbal.

Make sure you read all the fine print on your contract and

understand it, or ask your contractor to explain before you sign the

contract.

Include in the contract that the contractor will supply you with aContractors Final Affidavit of no liens when the job is completed

and at the same time you give him the final payment.

Red Flags:Be wary of contractors who:

Solicit door to door.


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Provide credentials or references that cant be verified.

Pressure you for an immediate decision.

Accept only cash, require large deposits or require the entire cost

up front. A deposit of 10-15 percent of the bid price is normally

sufficient.

Dont provide a written contract or complete bid.

Ask you to get required building permits. In most instances, the

contractor is required to take out the permits.

Offer exceptionally long warranties.

Offer an exceptionally low bid.


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Suggest you borrow money from a lender the contractor knows; this

could be a scam to get you to sign a home equity loan.


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Make sure you check the other "Must Know" before hiring an

electrician here

Documents

20 Things You Need to Know Before Hiring an Electrician (Full Report)