Name: Colz Electric
Address: 165 Shannon Hill SW, Calgary Alberta Canada, AB, T2Y 2Y8, CA
Telephone: 403-770-3030
Price range: $000 - $000

The winter season brings cozy fires, festive lights, and warm cups of cocoa. But it also brings unique electrical challenges and safety concerns for your home or business. As trusted electricians in Calgary, we’re here to ensure your winter season is both joyful and safe. Let’s dive into some essential Electrical Safety Tips to protect your home and loved ones this season.

Follow These Tips For a Safe Season

Inspect and Maintain Your Electrical System

We recommend starting with a thorough inspection of your electrical system before winter sets in. Look for loose wires, frayed cords, and damaged outlets. If you notice any issues, contact a licensed electrician to make the necessary repairs as soon as possible.

Space Heater Safety

We understand the desire and need to keep warm using a space heater, but they can pose a significant fire hazard if not used correctly. Ensure your heater is placed on a level surface away from flammable materials, and never leave them unattended. Keep a safe distance from curtains, bedding, and furniture. Space heaters also use a lot of electricity. To prevent an overloaded circuit, avoid using other high-wattage appliances on the same circuit.

Holiday Lighting

There’s nothing like the glow of twinkle lights around the holidays, but this year, try to use LED lights as much as possible when decorating the interior and exterior of your home. LED lights consume less energy and produce less heat than incandescent bulbs. Inspect your lights for any damaged wires or bulbs before hanging them. don’t overload circuits with too many decorations, and use surge protectors where needed.

Generator Safety

If you rely on a generator during power outages, follow safety guidelines. Ensure it’s located outdoors and far from doors, windows, or vents to prevent carbon monoxide buildup. Properly maintain your generator and use extension cords rated for outdoor use.

Outdoor Electrical Precautions

Clear snow and ice from outdoor outlets, meters, and light fixtures to prevent damage and ensure safe access for electricians during emergencies. Ensure outdoor extension cords are suitable for cold weather use. You may also want to consider using a plastic cover for exposed plugs and connections.

Extension Cord Safety

Avoid using extension cords as a permanent solution for appliances or heaters. If you must use them, choose heavy-duty, grounded cords and inspect them regularly for wear or damage. Never overload extension cords.

Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Test and replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms regularly, especially before winter begins. These devices can save lives in case of electrical or heating system malfunctions.

Insulation and Electrical Wiring

Ensure that your home’s insulation is not in contact with electrical wiring, as this can cause overheating and fire hazards. If you suspect any issues, consult an electrician for proper insulation and wiring separation.

Be Prepared for Power Outages

Stock up on essential items such as flashlights, batteries, and non-perishable food items in case of power outages. Consider installing a backup generator for extended outages.

Call Your Electrician

If you ever experience flickering lights, circuit breaker trips, or other electrical issues during winter, don’t hesitate to call your trusted electrician. These issues could be signs of underlying problems that require immediate attention.

Your safety is our priority, especially during the winter season. By following these Winter Electrical Safety Tips and staying vigilant, you can enjoy a cozy and worry-free winter. If you ever need assistance or have concerns about your electrical system, contact Colz Electric for expert advice and reliable service. With 24-hour service, we are ready to come out to your home or business for urgent after-hours electrical needs. Stay safe and warm this winter!

Sudden power outages can be so jarring and unexpected that they can leave you stupefied in complete darkness and unsure of what to do next.

Even though the electricity has been zapped from your home, it doesn’t mean you need to be a sitting duck until the power comes back on.

Until a Calgary electrician can assist you, there are many self-sufficient ways to cope with power outages. Below we have compiled a list of insightful tips and tricks that will prepare you for the unexpected.

How-To: Deal with a Power Outage

Prepare For The Long Haul

Power outages can vary drastically, lasting anywhere from a few seconds to several hours. If your power isn’t coming back any time sooner, it’s best to anticipate a longer power outage by allocating necessities effectively until the power comes back.

For families, it is recommended to have a 72-hour emergency preparedness kit on hand during potential power outages. The kit can supply a family with common necessities and supplies for up to three days.

Mind Your Electronics & Appliances

A staple for power outages is to make sure to have backup batteries for electronics – they’re handy for any essential use.

In addition, a good way to protect your electronic devices is to use a surge protector. How does this help? A surge protector protects your electronics from sudden power loss because of voltage spikes. It notably comes in handy during lightning strikes.

To avoid damage from overload when the power is restored, make sure to disconnect any electrical appliances and equipment.

Wary of Carbon Monoxide

During a power outage, it’s strongly recommended not to use anything that emits carbon monoxide. This includes indoor barbeques, kerosene heaters, or camp stoves. When you use gas stoves for too long with poor ventilation, it can be incredibly dangerous.

If you need to keep warm, you can do so by bundling up with a few layers. Also, if you’re living with other people, you can keep warm together and stay close to one another to retain body heat.

Preserve Your Food

Appliances like your fridge and freezer will be down with the power off, leaving your food high and dry to get spoiled. You can use a cooler filled with either ice or snow to help keep food cold.

However, once a power outage is over, it’s important to look through your fridge and freezer in case anything becomes spoiled anyway. If power has been out for more than 48 hours, it’s best to throw out all refrigerated food.

Get Electrical Repairs

Homes are not completely immune to damages inflicted from a power outage. Common cases of brief power outages happen due to extreme weather conditions or a planned interruption from your service provider. In other instances, some power outages can result from faulty wiring or an issue with your home’s electrical system. If these issues persist, it’s best to reach out for electrical repairs. Make sure to save some of your phone’s battery life to make a call to your local electrician!

Colz Electric is the master electrician that you can trust. Our team of highly trained Calgary electricians has all the hands-on skills and experience required to handle all types of residential and commercial jobs. With 24-hour service, we are ready to come out to your home or business for Calgary electrical services or urgent after-hours electrical needs. Our professional results, client trust, and superb value showcase our commitment to providing our customers with 100% satisfaction. Speak to one of our Calgary electricians at 403-770-3030.

During the winter, the possibility of a power outage is always a concern, especially with the volatile weather in Alberta. When a power outage hits and you need electrical repairs in Calgary, it can be a scary moment if the temperature is below freezing and you aren’t prepared to handle the cold.

Tips for Winter Power Outages in Calgary

The best thing you can do to handle the scary time after your power goes out and the electrical repairs in Calgary that bring it back on, is to prepare for a power outage before it occurs. Below is a list of things you can do or buy to ensure you can handle your next winter power outage.

Ways To Prepare

-Purchase a generator.

-Ensure you have plenty of food and water stored.

-If you have a fireplace, make sure you have plenty of wood to keep it going.

-If you don’t have a fireplace, make sure you have plenty of heaters compatible with your generator to keep your home warm.

-Making sure you have a way to stay warm if the power goes out during a snowstorm.

-Ensure sure you have a battery-powered radio in case of emergency.

-Ensure you have flashlights and extra batteries in case of emergency.

Things To Keep In Mind

Always remember that children and the elderly are most susceptible to winter weather. Always make sure they’re warm enough during a power outage, especially if it’s cold outside. Make sure they have plenty of extra clothes, blankets, and heaters to keep them warm.

If you live in an apartment or condominium complex which is not sufficiently heated due to a power outage, the first thing you should do is contact your landlord or building manager. They will be able to make the arrangement for electrical repairs in Calgary as soon as possible.

If you think something is wrong with your power line, call your utility company immediately. Don’t try to fix it yourself – that could be very dangerous to you and others. Remember, a power outage in the winter can be dangerous, but with proper preparation, you can make sure you and your loved ones are safe. Stay warm and stay safe!

A master electrician is the only person who is certified to have electric permits in Alberta. They have proven themselves through a rigorous tradesperson training program and received certification to perform electrical work unsupervised and professionally.

The Master Electrician Program

A master electrician is subject to the same process as all other certified trades in Alberta. This means they begin as an apprentice and must complete the mandatory training and work experience to gain their journeyman certification. The term of apprenticeship for an electrician is 4 years including a minimum of 1500 hours of on-the-job training and 8 weeks of technical training in each of the first three years, and a minimum of 1350 hours of on-the-job (OTJ) training and 12 weeks of technical training in the fourth year.

After completion of the training described above, they will be certified as a journeyman electrician. From there, another 3 years of work experience in an electrician-related field will be required, at which point they are eligible to challenge the master electrician test. This requires no extra formal training, but it is strongly recommended. There is, roughly, an 85% failure rate for journeyman electricians who challenge the master electrician exam without engaging in further vocational training.

This training is offered by both technical institutions in Alberta, NAIT and SAIT. While this extra training is not required, the exam is intended to ensure that candidates wishing to be certified as master electricians are capable and able to perform the duties of their profession. Therefore, only the best qualified and most capable electricians are admitted into the master electrician program.

Why Choose a Master Electrician?

Due to the stringent requirements described above, you can feel assured that master electricians are qualified and capable of performing the work required. This should be reason enough to choose them when embarking on your next electrical project, but if not, there is another reason.

As the only people in Alberta capable of taking out electrical permits, they are required on any job site requiring electrical permits. This helps ensure people are not performing inadequate repairs to electrical systems which can be very dangerous and potentially costly when performed incorrectly. This also acts as a guarantee of their quality and professionalism so it is ultimately better, in the long run, to seek out qualified master electricians you can trust.

Colz Electric is the master electrician that you can trust. Our team of highly trained Calgary electricians has all the hands-on skills and experience required to handle all types of residential and commercial jobs. With 24-hour service, we are ready to come out to your home, or business for Calgary electrical services, or urgent after-hours electrical needs. Our professional results, as well as trust and value, is how we can provide our customers with 100% satisfaction. Speak to one of our Calgary electricians at 403-770-3030.

Smoke/CO2 Detectors could mean the difference between life and death!

Why are smoke/CO2 detectors so important?

If you think about it, what else protects you and your family if a fire were to happen in your house? A scary fact is, every year over 2,000 people lose their lives in residential fires. A smoke alarm/CO2 detector are overlooked, but essentially one of the most important things to have in your home.

Deaths are usually caused by breathing in the smoke and toxic gases from the fire, not from being burned. Poisonous gases created during a fire, like carbon monoxide, can quickly cause a person to become confused and disoriented. it only takes 3 minutes for a fire to spread throughout a home. A smoke alarm, when properly installed, tested, and maintained gives you an early warning of a fire, which increases your chances of getting out.

“it only takes 3 minutes for a fire to spread throughout a home”

It is now code to have a smoke detector in every bedroom of your house and a CO2 detector in every common area or per floor. Also, all newer build houses have to have all smoke detectors hardwires by a professional electrician. Studies show that death or serious injury due to fire is less in homes where smoke alarms were installed and maintained

Give your Smoke Detector some well deserved TLC.

This little unit is literally a lifesaver, so slow it some care, change the batteries every year! Also, they expire every 10 years, so you need to replace it! Vacuum and dust the units here and there, also keep objects clear of the units, like plants, hanging decora that could possibly prevent the unit from working properly.

Smoke alarms are electronic devices that age and can fail. Once installed, people sometimes have a false sense of security and don’t think to test the units regularly. Regular testing and maintenance are important to make sure the smoke alarm is working. Every unit has a test button, use it at least once a month.