HOW TO PREVENT ELECTRICAL FIRES Electrical fires pose significant dangers for home ownership or property management. An electrical fire can cause the loss of someone’s entire home, but there are several steps that will go a long way in preventing this type of fire. The easiest step in avoiding an electrical fire is to avoid overloading a home’s electrical circuits. Electrical circuits are connected to the service panel that distributes electricity throughout the home. The service panel contains circuit breakers or fuses, in conjunction with cables that supply the house with power. It is preferable to have breakers instead of fuses. DEFINITIONS TO KNOW •Ampere (amp): a unit of electrical current strength •Voltage: a unit of electrical pressure •Watts: units of power which measure the rate a device is using electrical energy 60 Amp Service Panel 100 Amp Service Panel The Canadian Electrical Code allows for 60 amp service in a single family dwelling where the floor area (excluding the basement) is less than 861 square feet (80 m2). Larger homes require 100 amp service, although it is not mandatory they be upgraded to this new standard. Generally speaking, a 100 amp service panel is adequate for most homes. If the service is original to a home constructed in the 1950’s and 1960’s, an upgrade may be required. Older homes built in the 1950’s and 1960’s that are 1200 square feet or less, may still be equipped with 60 amp service that may be deemed acceptable with an electrical inspection. For example, if the home has a gas stove and dryer to offset the amount of electricity, the situation might be acceptable. Some older homes have been upgraded to the 100 amp service where only a new service panel was installed, leaving the original ungrounded wiring in place. The upgraded electrical panel should have an electrical permit attached to the service panel with the date the upgrade was completed and inspected. If no permit exists on the upgraded service panel, an inspection is required. Insuranceisevolving.com Modern Service Panel with Breakers Older Service Panel with Fuses HISTORY OF WIRING If any of the following circumstances exist, a certified electrician should inspect the electrical system. Ungrounded twin conductor cable (NMD-1) • New method of wiring introduced • Contained two conductors in one jacket • No ground protection • Supports a limited amount of outlets and switches • Insulation deteriorates Grounded twin conductor cable (NMD-3 or NMD-6) • Homes now wired for 3 prong outlets • Conductor supports temperature rates of 60° C to 75° C • Works well for most circuits • Not to be used in recessed lighting applications • 1970 to 1980 installation of recessed lighting became popular • Due to higher heat that recessed lighting conducts, this type of conductor overheats, resulting in fire • Electrical code now requires conductors that support temperatures of 90° C for the application of recessed lighting Aluminum wiring • Due to escalating costs of copper, aluminum wiring was introduced • Prior to 1977 the outer covering of the cable is identified with the word ALUMINUM or an abbreviation, ALUM, or AL • After 1977 the outer covering of the cable may be ALUMINUM, ACM, ALUM, ACM, or ALACM • Receptacle and light switch device with a rating of 20 amp or less must contain the word CO/ALR • Receptacle greater than 20 amp device must contain the word AL-CU or CU-AL • Wire connector for combinations of either an aluminum conductor(s), a copper conductor(s), or both, must contain the word AL-CU or CU-AL 1984 TO PRESENT 1950 1962 TO 1950 Knob and Tube • Two separate conductors held in place by ceramic knobs • Conductors run separately and only come together at the switch, outlet, receptacle, fixture, or junction box etc. • Conductor consists of one wire that is black (hot wire) and one wire is white (neutral wire) • No ground protection • Supports 2 prong outlet • Supports limited amount of outlets for the demands of today • Insulation deteriorates due to overloading circuits and overheating conductors (wires) • 3 prong outlets may be installed giving the impression that there is ground protection • Not suited for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or outdoor installations 1962 - 1984 AREAS OF CONCERN 1965 - LATE 1970’S HISTORY OF WIRING TYPES Modern cable (NMD-7 & NMD-90) • Modern house wire • Approved for recessed lighting • Conductor supports temperature rates of 90° C Insuranceisevolving.com • Original aluminum rated outlet connections come loose over time, potentially becoming a fire hazard • Original aluminum rated outlets replaced with nonaluminum rated outlets • Replacement wall switches and receptacles must be approved for use with aluminum wiring and the device must bear the marking “CO/ALR” NOTE: Due to the specialized knowledge and techniques required when dealing with aluminum wiring, it is recommended that it be installed only by qualified electricians WARNING SIGNS FOR ELECTRICAL HAZARDS If any of the following circumstances exist, a certified electrician should inspect the electrical system. Dimming Lights Lights that chronically flicker and dim can be a sign of loose connections or a heavily loaded circuit. Tripping circuit breakers Repeated tripping could indicate overloaded circuits, a short circuit, or other problems. Reliance of extension cords Extension cords aren’t a permanent fix to the problem of too few outlets. Extension cords may not be able to handle the load placed on them, and can become a fire or shock hazard if damaged. Burning smell Smoke or a smell of burning metal or plastic may be caused by a bulb of the wrong size or wattage being used, or a sign of burned or overheated wiring. Hot Receptacles Receptacles, switch plates, cords, and plugs should never be hot to the touch or discoloured from heat. This could mean a loose connection or other problem. Loose plugs Plugs should fit snugly in outlets. Loose connections can be a shock hazard and can generate heat. Overloaded outlets Heavily used outlets can create a fire hazard if they generate too much heat. Insuranceisevolving.com