We recently had the opportunity to interview the owner of Mr Electric of North King and Snohomish Counties, Paul Livesay, and Eric – one of his electricians.  The topic: electrical safety and the hidden hazards that homeowners should be aware of – read on to learn more about this important topic…

1. What kind of certification or training does an electrician need to have before they can do electrical work?

A licensed residential electrician must have a minimum of 4000 hours of  documented apprenticeship under the direct  supervision of a licensed journeyman electrician, plus classroom work and pass a comprehensive examination administered by the Washington State Dept.of Labor and Industries. Also, to maintain his/her license and assure the electrician is current with any changes in electric code, an electrician must annually complete a minimum number of Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Compliance with the continuing education requirement is closely monitored by the Dept of Labor and Industries.

2. What are some of the different electrical issues that you see in a typical home?

• Old and poorly maintained (dirty) service panels
• Over reliance on extension cords resulting in overloaded circuits
• Using light bulbs in fixtures with different ratings (many people don’t know that the wiring in their table lamp is rated so they may put a 100 watt bulb in a 75 watt fixture)
• Older homes without GFCIs (ground fault circuit interrupters) as current code requires

3. In various parts of country, including here in the Pacific Northwest, we have many older homes.  What types of issues do you see with these older homes?

• As mentioned above , no GFCIs
• Old fuse boxes with knob and tube systems
• Aluminum wiring  (common in late 60s to early 70s) which has possibly corroded and thus becomes a hazard
• Ungrounded electrical systems

4. Are there preventive measures (installing of GFIs, replacing of panels, wiring etc.) you recommend homeowners taking for household safety?

The question, to a large degree, answers itself. Even if wired correctly and to code in the first place electrical systems performance and safety diminish over extended periods of time. New knowledge and technology necessitate changes in the National Electric Code, nearly all of which address safety. Two recent code changes that come to mind are the requirement for tamper proof receptacles throughout a house and Arc Fault breakers in the main service panel.

5. Say I’m a homeowner and am doing a DIY project that requires electrical work, why would I care to get a permit before doing the work?

• Purchasing  a permit will require  the DIYer to think through the project in advance of going to the permit counter and explain exactly the goal and details of the project
• It will begin the proper documentation (record) of electrical work performed at the house which will be helpful in the event another electric project is done by someone other than the DIYer or the house is to be sold and a real estate inspector has questions
• The house will be professionally inspected by a licensed authority to ensure the work has been done in accordance with current electrical code (again for the purposes of safety)

6. What regular maintenance/service should a homeowner consider to ensure the electrical safety of their home and family?

• Have the home annually inspected by a licensed electrician where he/she will check for proper system grounding  and bonding, breaker function, panel cleanliness (possibly get panel tune-up), code changes, etc.
• Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. If you don’t have them, get them.

7. With fall and then winter, we’ll be seeing more opportunities to put up outdoor lights etc.  Do you have tips on how to wire these with safety in mind?

Depending on the additional electrical load it is usually advisable to install  a new dedicated circuit(s) and, if so , be sure to install approved outdoor receptacles with GFCI protection. If the project is just seasonal or Holiday lighting additional power may not be necessary, call a professional electrician for advice

8. Any other tips for homeowners you’d like to share?

If you are beginning an electrical project, large or small, and are wondering what the green wire connects to, call a qualified licensed electrician. When in doubt, always call a professional. After all, it’s about  SAFETY!