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Cosmos Electrical - Scarborough ON Electricians

Are Two Prong Outlets Still Safe in My Home?

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Two Prong Electrical Outlet Replacement in Toronto.Two prong electrical outlets are commonly found in older homes and buildings throughout the Greater Toronto Area.  While these will still work with modern appliances and electrical devices, technology has come a long ways since they were developed.  Most homes and buildings now have three pronged outlets installed because they are a safer and more reliable technology.

Older two prong receptacles did not have a dedicated grounding (bonding) prong but there usually is a ground (bond) inside the electrical box grounding (bonding) it to the network. Most of the time you can simply retrofit a new receptacle in it’s place.  If you aren’t comfortable working around wiring and the electrical systems in your home you should contact an electrician to perform the work.

[box color=”navy-mute” type=”square” icon=”caution”]Did You Know…? Grounding and Bonding are commonly misused terms when it comes to Electrical Systems. Grounding happens at your service box only and everything else is bonded.[/box]

An even simpler way to make sure the two prong outlets in your are properly protected is to install a GFIC  (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) in the first location in the electrical circuit to be protected. This new electrical device will now protect all of the two prong plugs that are downstream of it on the same circuit.

Working with electricity and the electrical systems in your home is dangerous work that should always be performed by a licensed electrical contractor.  Your electrician can verify that the device is hooked up correctly and working properly and that the required outcome (the protection of the two prong receptacles) has been accomplished.

Have Any Electrical Questions.

Keeping Pets Safe From Electrical Hazards In Your Home

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Keeping Pets Safe From Electricity Around Your Toronto Home.Being in the electrical services business you may be surprised to see an article like this on our website.  But we see enough of these issues that we thought it was worth posting an article about.

Most homeowners would just assume their home is a safe place for their animals and electrical hazards are almost non-existent.  Unfortunately, this isn’t the case and pets and other animals are seriously injured or killed because of preventable electrical hazards.

Animals really aren’t much different than children. If you don’t watch them, they find a way to get themselves into a predicament. If there is a chance to interact with electrical devices then there is a chance for harm and injury.  It takes very little electricity to cause serious harm or death of an animal. You can be found guilty of negligence if it is determined the accident was easily avoided and could carry a jail term penalty.

 Here Are a Few Tips For Making Your Home “Pet Safe”

  • Keep electrical extension cords out of reach.  Extension cords are very appealing to puppies and playful dogs who like to chew.  At the very least, unplug them from outlets when not in use. If you catch your pet chewing on them, quickly discipline them to break the habit. Sometimes bitter apple spray works well as a safe deterrent to chewing.
  • Put guards or fencing around your air conditioning and heat pump equipment. If the electrical system is up to code then these items should be fairly safe from harm but some pets will find the strangest things and places to decide to chew on.
  • Make sure any high powered lights, including halogen lights, are secure and out of reach when in use. These lights can easily reach over 1000 degrees. A puppy burned by one of these may become traumatized or violent. Just think about how you reacted the last time you burned yourself.

The most sure fire way to keep everyone safe… If you cannot see or touch or feel a potential electrical hazard then you should be pretty safe.  Cosmos Electrical Co. is a full service electrical contractor serving the Greater Toronto Area.  If you need your electrical system inspected, repaired or upgraded please give us a call today!

What Is a GFI Outlet?

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GFI Outlet Repair and Replacement in Toronto.What is a GFI and should you have them in your home or building…?

GFCI is the abbreviation for a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter also known as GFI.  This device is a specially designed electrical outlet that protects the user from shock.  GFI outlets are usually installed on home exteriors or other areas that may become damp or exposed to the elements.

The GFCI device measures the resistance of the “hot” and “neutral” lines connected to it. If there is more resistance in either of the 2 lines, the GFCI trips to stop the flow of electricity. This all happens in milliseconds.

The electrical code requires that GFCI’s be installed in kitchens near the sink, bathrooms, and laundry areas near sinks, ground level exterior plugs and anywhere else water is easily accessible.

My GFI Outlet Has Stopped Working How Can I Fix It?

There could be several reasons why this has happened and the easiest for you to try is to simply either flip the breaker, or inspect the plug and push the “Reset” button that most GFI outlets come equipped with.  If this doesn’t solve your problem then you probably need to call an Electrician to repair the faulty outlet.

Cosmos Electrical Co. is a full service electrical contractor in the Greater Toronto Area.  We specialize in helping home and business owners repair and upgrade their existing electrical systems and replacing and repairing GFI outlets is one of the small services we offer.

If you have a faulty GFI outlet that needs repairing or would like to have some installed then please give us a call today!