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Outdoor Electrical Safety Tips

It’s easy to forget electricity even exists once you step outdoors, especially for young children. Once they work their way into the open air, they lose sight of switches, lights, sockets, extension cords, and just about anything else electrical.

But just because outdoor electrical devices can’t be readily seen doesn’t mean they’re not there. As a parent, therefore, you need to provide your kids sensible instructions for avoiding electric shock, or worse, during outdoor play time.

Here are some helpful tips to help you get started.

  • Always have an electrician inspect your pool before swimming season. But even with that, post an emergency procedure safety sticker near the pool and/or hot tub in case something goes wrong with the electrical wiring.
  • Electric grills are safer than their charcoal designs, but should never be used in damp or wet weather conditions. Also, be sure yours is connected to a GFCI outlet for added protection.
  • Power lines may seem like a climbing destination to your youngsters, but they are to be kept away from at all cost and should not even be touched with sticks, toys, or any other object.
  • Never climb a utility pole and discourage your kids from throwing an old shoe, tee-shirt, or any other object onto a power a line.
  • Never climb a tree or structures that’s close to a power line. At the same time, encourage kite flying in open fields where no power lines exist.
  • Stay indoors during an electrical storm. Statistics prove it’s just not worth taking the chance.
  • Electrical yard equipment should always be stored indoors. Also, avoid using electrical power tools in wet or damp conditions.
  • Check the electrical cords of your power equipment each time before using them. If frayed or worn, they either need to be replaced or repaired before you use that tool again.
  • Never plug two extension cords together outdoors and unplug them when not in use.

Not sure if your outdoors is as safe for kids, other family members, and guests as you’d like it to be. Then don’t take chances. Instead, contact Absolute Air today to request a whole-house electrical safety inspection, one that covers inside and outside your home. If there are any electrical problems, irregularities, or code violations in evidence, we’ll advise you and recommend the best means to rectify the problem. And all for your family’s added safety and convenience.

How You Can Benefit from Whole-House Surge Protection

Just for fun – even though it wouldn’t be – let’s say that a lightning strike or an electrical power surge caused some other way were suddenly to damage or destroy one or more of your home electronic systems – things like your AC or heating system, water heater, computers, etc.

If you’re like most people, you’d file a claim with your insurance company. But there’s only one problem: that claim would most likely be declined. You see, most home owners insurance policies don’t cover that kind of damage, and that leaves you liable for the damages. So, unless you have extra thousands of dollars around for a new home comfort system or whatever else needs to be replaced, it’s not going to be the best day of your life.

That’s why Absolute Air encourages you to protect your valuable home electronics – anything with a built-in microprocessor – with a whole-house surge protector. Already have power strips with surge protection?  That’s great, but you also should know that each one is capable of absorbing only 6,000 volts of electricity. By comparison, a whole-house surge protector can resist up to 40,000 amps.

That’s much more protection than your power strips can provide, and enough to prevent ruin or damage to your valuable home electronics following most larger power surges.

The installation is fast and surprisingly affordable – especially when you consider how much a whole-house surge protector offers you in potential savings. To learn more or schedule a free on-site proposal and estimate, contact Absolute Air today.

USB Wall Outlets Provide Added Convenience & Less Clutter.

Have you every taken the time to add up all the devices in your home that require USB chargers to keep them running?

In today’s higher tech modern household, the list just keeps on growing:

  • Cell phones and Smart Phones
  • Digital cameras
  • iPads and other Tablets
  • e-Readers
  • Gaming devices
  • And more

What’s the point? Well, for one thing, it suggests that in many DFW area homes, there is a trail of spaghetti (aka USB cords) just about everywhere you look, and people arguing over whose turn it is to charge their Smart Phone or iPad.

Sound familiar?

If so, then you’ll be very glad to hear about a relatively new product from Absolute Air:  USB wall chargers!

Essentially, they’re wall outlets with 3-prong sockets that also include one or two USB ports.  That means you can plug your charge-able electronics into the socket instead of into a USB charger which, in turn, must be plugged into a socket.  Taken a step further, that means less clutter, fewer wires to keep track of, and more happy campers (aka family members).

Our USB chargers feature a smart chip that recognizes and optimizes the charging power of your electronic devices for fast and efficient charging. Even better, no new installations are required:  we can simply install one or more new USB wall chargers to replace existing outlets.

Absolute Air offers quality air conditioning services in forney tx and crandall . We have other indoor air quality solutions, too.  Contact us today for details or to schedule installation.

If that’s the kind of added convenience you’ve been hoping for, contact Absolute Air today to request more information or to schedule installation. We’re your full-service electrical services provider in Kaufman, Forney, Crandall, and other area communities.

Is it Time to Upgrade Your Circuit Breaker Panel?

If you still have a fuse box or 100-amp circuit breaker, you might be a candidate for an electrical system upgrade. What’s the logical next step?  A 200-amp circuit breaker panel, one that can provide all the power most families need to run all of their high end electrical systems and electronics.

Here are some specifics to help you determine if now is the right time for you:

  • 100-amp service generally is not an adequate power supply for home with electric heat and central air conditioning.
  • Older circuits eventually lose their ability to protect themselves during an electrical overload, thus increasing the risk of an electrical fire.
  • Older, under-powered systems often don’t allow you to run multiple electrical systems or electronic gear at the same time.
  • When you have too little power, you experience frequent blow fuse and tripped circuit episodes.
  • It’s also time for an upgraded electrical panel when damage occurs to sensitive electronics like computers or you start experiencing frequent brownouts.

Conversely, upgrading to 200-amp service offers you these fundamental advantages:

  • The ability to run more electrical equipment, and more powerful equipment, at the same time.
  • Added home and personal safety.
  • Increased protection for your electronic equipment, including appliances and home comfort (heating and cooling) systems.
  • Increased home resale value.

If you’re concerned about the state of your home electrical system or the amount of power it provides, contact Absolute Air today for a free and no-obligation assessment of your home power needs and, at your request, a new system quote.

What to Do When Your Air Conditioner Freezes Up!

Imagine you’re having an outdoor cookout in the middle of summer, and two things happen simultaneously, both involving ice. First, you run out of ice to serve your guests, so someone has to dash off to purchase more. But as you’re pulling out of your driveway, something catches an eye.  An oddity, if you will.  And even though you see it, you don’t believe it. So you put your car in park, get out, and go have a look for yourself.

Sure enough, you’re outdoor central AC unit is caked in ice. If this has happened to you for the very first time, backyard cookout or not, trust the fact it’s not the first time we’ve seen it.  More importantly, we know exactly what to do to correct the problem.

Still, this is one you might be able to fix on your own. If your AC unit is still frozen, shut it off and allow it to cool completely. Next, go check out your system’s filter, very likely in your attic since that’s where most air handlers are installed, and the air handler is where you’ll find the filter. If it’s chock full of dirt, dust, and other particles, it immediately needs to be cleaned or replaced. Doing so will once again facilitate the kind of airflow necessary to allow your system to work at peak efficiency without freezing up.

Other than poor airflow, outdoor condensing units can freeze up when operating in cooler temperatures. If that’s happened to your system before, you should consider installing an ambient temperature control that allows the unit to run properly when the temperature drops.

And, when all else fails, we won’t! We’re Absolute Air, your local full-service heating, air conditioning, and electrical service company. When it comes to your central AC system, we repair all makes and models, and every conceivable repair problem, including when it freezes up. Contact us now to learn more or schedule service.

Why You Need Whole-House Surge Protection

Power surges and spikes can occur at any time.  In fact, up to 25 small surges a day – resulting from voltage irregularities and motors turning on and off – are common.

Over time, the cumulative effect of these daily power surge can damage or ruin today’s more sophisticated electronics, appliances and, worse yet, your home heating and cooling systems. Even more likely to cause damage, however, is a major power surge, the kind that occurs from a lightning strike, downed power lines, or when power is restored following a power outage.

At Absolute Air, we can help eliminate all that worry with a whole-house surge protector installed adjacent to your fuse box or circuit breaker panel.  When a surge or spike occurs, the device will detect the excess current and safely diverts it through your home’s grounding path.

Two More Reasons to Arm Yourself with all Whole-House Surge Protection

  • Added Protection – A whole-house surge protector can stop up to 20,000 volts of electricity.  Power strips with built-in surge protection, by contrast, are equipped to block only up to 6,000 volts.
  • Saves You Money – Since most homeowners insurance policies don’t provide protection for damage caused by a power surge, installing a whole-house surge protector can prevent losses in the hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

For answers to all your questions or to request installation of a whole-house surge protector, contact Absolute Air today. Your one source for heating, air conditioning, indoor air quality, and electrical services.

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Absolute Air has been a leading provider of Air Conditioning & Heating Services in Kaufman County since 2009.

Absolute Air Air Conditioning and Heating, Air Conditioning Contractor, Kaufman, TX
3443 E. HWY 175, KAUFMAN, TX 75142
(972) 932-5373
INFO@ABSOLUTEAIR.NET

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