ELECTRIC NOTES

NEED CAULKING? DO IT YOURSELF

Caulking is an easy, inexpensive way to seal drafts around your home and make it feel warmer in the winter. Beyond keeping your house more comfortable, caulking can pay for itself through energy savings in only one year. Here’s the best part—it’s a do-it-yourself job.

Most caulking compounds come in disposable cartridges that fit in half-barrel caulking guns. Look for a caulking gun with an automatic release for the smoothest application. Caulk forms a flexible seal and works best for cracks and gaps less than a quarter-inch wide. To make your first caulking job a breeze, follow these application tips:

• Before application, remove old caulk and paint from the area using a putty knife. Clean and dry the area to avoid sealing in moisture.

• Hold the gun at a consistent 45-degree angle along the crack. This angle will help force the caulk immediately into the crack as it is applied.

• Caulk in one straight, continuous line. Avoid starts and stops.

• Release the trigger before pulling the gun away to avoid excess caulk. An automatic release will help avoid this problem.

• Make sure the caulk sticks to both sides of the crack. If it oozes out, push it back in with a putty knife.

• If the caulk shrinks, reapply it to seal the crack completely.

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS: A LITTLE PREPARATION CAN GO A LONG WAY

House fires can happen in seconds: In one instant, you could go from whipping up dinner to watching flames leap from the stovetop.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, about three-quarters of all reported structure fires occur in homes each year. In the right hands, a household fire extinguisher can save lives and protect property should a small fire start.

“Every home should have at least one fire extinguisher, and you need the right type, and you must know how and when to use it,” said John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager at Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the nonprofit agency that tests and sets minimum standards for electricity-consuming items.

Fire extinguishers should be placed in easily accessible areas of the home, close to where they might be needed (such as in a kitchen, garage or bedroom). Some basic rules to keep in mind when using household fire extinguishers:

• If the fire is not spreading and remains confined to a small area, use the appropriate type of extinguisher. Select a multipurpose extinguisher (rated A, B or C) with the UL mark that can be used on all types of fires such as wood, cloth, paper, flammable liquids (gasoline, oil, grease, oil-based paint) and energized electrical equipment including wiring, fuse boxes, circuit breakers and appliances.

• Know both your limits and those of the fire extinguisher.

• Periodically inspect your extinguishers to determine whether they need to be recharged or replaced. Extinguishers need to be recharged or replaced after each use—even if you haven’t used the entire amount of extinguishing agent inside. Check the gauge on the fire extinguisher for this information.

• When operating a fire extinguisher, stand at least 6 feet from the fire and keep your back to a door so you can escape easily, if necessary.

• Remember the acronym PASS:

Pull the pin, hold the extinguisher away from you and release the locking mechanism.

Aim low, pointing the extinguisher at the base of the fire.

Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.

Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

“Fire extinguishers for home use are not designed to fight large or spreading fires,” Drengenberg stressed. If a blaze has become large, he advised, “rather than fighting the fire, your No. 1 priority should be getting out safely.”

KEEPING AN EYE ON YOUR ELECTRICAL USE

Learning to track how much electricity your home consumes is a great way to start managing your home’s electric use.

You can purchase devices at stores that provide a constant, digital reading of how much electricity your home—or an individual appliance—is using. One type of device, such as the Kill-A-Watt, fits between an electrical outlet and an appliance to give you an instant reading of how much electricity an appliance draws.

Another type connects to your electricity meter and wirelessly relays information on use to a small screen inside. Called an in-home display, the device looks similar to a wireless weather monitor and can help make consumers more aware of energy being used day to day. Research conducted by the Cooperative Research Network (CRN), the research arm of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, shows that most consumers who have an in-home display use less energy than those without one. And even after homeowners stop paying attention to the devices, most still use 1 to 3 percent less energy than before.

“The question of whether in-home displays catch on and become permanent fixtures in the American home is still open,” said Brian Sloboda, program manager with CRN. “However, for anyone wanting to take a proactive approach to understanding electric consumption, the in-home display may be worth exploring. You could use the knowledge that an in-house display provides to change the way you use electricity in your home and save some money.”

There’s also the old-fashioned way of tracking electricity use: reading your meter. As your home draws current from power lines, your electricity meter keeps a steady record of every watt being used. Many meters today are digital, replacing the older design that uses spinning discs and dials.

Digital versions make tracking energy use a breeze: Jot down the number you see and check it again in a month. The difference between the two represents the amount of electricity that has been used for that month or a typical billing period. Check it more frequently to get an idea of how you use electricity in a given week, or even day by day.

To read an older model meter (with spinning dials), write down the numbers as shown on the small dials from left to right. Some of the dials spin clockwise, some counterclockwise, but record each number closest to the dial hand. Once you have the full reading it can be compared to later readings, as described above.

If you have any questions about reading your meter or learning more about how much electricity your home uses, please contact your electric cooperative.

YOUR HOME’S OUTLETS AREN’T ALL-POWERFUL

Are your electrical outlets overstuffed with power strips, extension cords and outlet splitters? That’s not just an unsightly tripping hazard, it’s a fire hazard.

Plugging more appliances, lights and electronics into a single outlet than its circuit is meant to handle causes the receptacle or cords to overheat and can potentially start an electrical fire. The Consumer Product Safety Commission attributes 3,500 fires each year to outlet issues.

How do you know if you’re pushing your outlet to the brink? Check for these common indicators of potential electrical hazards:

Hot outlets: If you can’t touch a cord, plug or faceplate for more than five seconds without saying “Ouch!” the outlet is overloaded.

Shocks: Small shocks when touching appliances or outlets could point to danger.

Blown fuses: If fuses continue to blow after you replace them, or circuit breakers constantly trip, the wiring cannot handle the outlet’s load.

Flickering lights: Flickering or dimming lights could indicate an overloaded outlet.

Wavering screens: Similarly, if your computer or TV screen wavers when a large appliance is plugged in, it could mean the outlet is overstressed.

Also, never plug a high-wattage appliance, such as a refrigerator or dryer, into an extension cord.

Any of these symptoms could mean your home’s wiring can’t keep up with the increasing energy demands of your large appliances and electronics. Call a licensed electrician to give you an estimate for wiring repairs or upgrades.