My habit is to point out safety issues I see as I work in people’s homes. Often the issues aren’t even electrical, so I have nothing to gain. These are things I’ve gleaned from my interactions with fire and EMT professionals. Some are common sense.

1. A stairway with little or no light is an inconvenience that with time becomes a real hazard. Adding lighting can reduce the likelihood of serious injury.
2. Newer electrical products on the market make life easier and safer. Receptacle/night lights can replace standard receptacles in hallways and bath. The LED light operates automatically, has a 10 year life and makes navigating at night less of a challenge.
3. Outside and inside lighting should be sufficient to clearly see where you are walking. Older homes often fall short in this regard. Consulting with a lighting professional on proper light choices beats the big box stores.
4. Approximately 50% of homes I work in have inoperable/inadequate smoke detectors. With newer smoke/carbon monoxide detectors that have a 10 year battery life, things can’t get much easier.
5. Sixty year old refrigerators (as cold as when Momma bought it) experience wire insulation failure. The failure is unseen until it is too late. I was at a home where a fire caused by an old fridge caused a man to lose his life. And no, his smoke detectors weren’t working. All electrical products have a “service life”. After that its protection is degraded. An assessment of your electrical system by Able Electric can make it safer living at home.

~Frank