heeellllo, st. simons. redbpower is in town.

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, more than half the deaths resulting from fires occur in the five percent of the houses without smoke alarms. And in 25 percent of the reported home fires, NFPA says the alarms failed to operate.

Call a redbpower certified electrician to inspect your smoke and fire alarm system. It is an quick, inexpensive service that provides confidence that is priceless and safety that is critical. It can save your life. And, we aren’t exaggerating. A local family of six just lost four members of their family in a house fire including a mother, father and two children. They didn’t have a a smoke alarm.

*The photo compliments go to Ben Hughs. It is a picture of a fire at Oglethorpe & Bull in Savannah, Georgia.

Don’t want to junk up a gorgeous back splash? Here is the answer! The pop up electrical outlet is a fantastic option for limited wall space and clean looks.

Our only caution: put them in a place that is clean. Avoid areas prawn to spills… gunk will build up around them to create an unsafe and not-very-pretty situation.  Another creative spot: outlet strips hidden at the back of the under side of the upper cabinets. Does that make sense? Anyway, we are fans of the pop up electrical outlets. And, we love this picture. It is included in Brian’s Houzz Idea Book.

 Make Fire Protection A Priority

94% of all homes in North America have at least one smoke alarm.  That is great because they save lives. 

It’s great to have a door to your house. But, without a hinge you can’t get in. An alarm system is the same. It’s great to have one but if it isn’t functioning it is worthless.

Home fire deaths have decreased as the number of houses with working smoke alarms increases. Sometimes (okay, we will be honest often) our electricians find homes are equipped with non-functioning & unreliable smoke detectors. Battery powered units with dead batteries or no batteries (because someone “borrowed” them)

leave people living with a false sense of security. They believe they are protected from the flames of a house fire.

“I disconnected it because it is annoying,” one client confessed. “Everytime she turned on the toaster it activated,” her claimed. And, apparently some devices are even sensitive to the steam of a hot shower.  In other cases of systems-that-don’t-work it is an aging device, now 8 to 10 years old, that is still being entrusted with the safety of the occupants. 

Fortunately there are solutions to these problems. An inexpensive household smoke alarm can save your life by sounding an alarm, alerting you to a fire, and giving you time to escape safely.

There are two types of smoke alarms (and an alarm that includes both types).

• Ionization detectors respond more quickly to flame fires which often produce smaller combustion particles such as in a burning waste paper basket or grease fire. Because of this sensitivity, it is possible they are more easily activated by normal cooking activities. 
• Photoelectric units seem to respond more quickly to smoldering fires such as a cigarette dropped on a mattress or couch.  Both types can be activated by steam or a high humidity environment.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Sensors should also be installed to warn of increased levels of this deadly poisonous gas. Codes provide guidelines to where these units must be located. CO gas is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas produced by fuel-burning appliances such as a gas range or hot water tank, wood, coal or gas fireplace, or an idling vehicle in an enclosed garage, among other things.  A dangerous situation may quickly arise if venting is inadequate or compromised in any way. These sensors can be purchased singly or in combination with ionization smoke alarm units.

Specialized smoke alarms for the hearing impaired work with a flashing strobe light, bright enough to cut through the room’s natural or incandescent lighting are available for the hearing impaired. Some units also come equipped with a portable vibrating disk to be placed under the pillow at night.

Most fire related deaths occur at night while people are asleep. The smoke from a fire may not awaken you from slumber; in fact, it often acts as a sedative. It can put you into an even deeper sleep. Therefore, an up to date, functioning smoke alarm is the best early warning system for a fire.

How to maintain your smoke alarm.

As with all electrical components, regular care and maintenance of your smoke alarms is necessary. It has to work right and activate when you need it. Here are a few tips to keep your units functional.

• Test your smoke alarms by pressing the test button once a month.
• For battery operated smoke alarms, replace the battery at least once a year with brand new batteries.
• Never “borrow” the smoke alarm battery for another use. 
• Vacuum the alarm regularly as cobwebs and dust can impair the alarm’s sensitivity.
• Never paint a smoke alarm.
• Check the expiration date on each unit and replace alarms that are close to ten years old as they are no longer considered to be reliable.

Develop a Home Fire Escape Plan

And finally, in addition to equipping your home with smoke and CO alarms, please take the time to develop a home fire escape plan. Review and practice it regularly with the people in your house. The fire department and library have  information on how to plan a home fire escape route.

Your life, and your family’s life, may depend on it.

 3,000 people in the United States die by house fire each year while 17,000 are left injured. With the recent trajedy that killed four people in a family in our area over the Christmas break, we are reminded of the importance of smoke detection. Smoke Detectors come in a wide range of styles from fancy to simple to down right cute. More, they are easy to install. Unless your fire alarm is tied to the electrical system in your home it is a project that you can do.

1. Walk through your home and locate the areas where you want to mount smoke detectors. Detectors should be mounted only inside bedrooms, outside of bedrooms and in hallways leading to bedrooms.

2. Grab your ladder and mount smoke detectors high – on a wall or on the ceiling – though the ceiling mount is preferable, as they will go off sooner.
3. Be sure when attaching to the wall, place it 4-12 inches from the ceiling and in turn, mount ceiling detectors 4 inches from the wall. Smoke rises, so if you have a odd-shaped ceiling, opt for the highest point on the ceiling to place the detector.
4. Avoid mounting smoke detectors near windows or doors, where smoke can escape before reaching the detector.
5. Avoid mounting smoke detectors in kitchens, dining rooms or living rooms. Smoke and steam from cooking, fireplaces, candles and so on can cause false alarms. Basements and garages should be avoided also. Water heaters, fumes from solvents, paint or gasoline, and dust from forced air heaters can set off alarms.
6. Follow the directions on the package for mounting the smoke detector once you’ve chosen the area for the device. You’ll most likely need a drill and a screwdriver.
7. Make sure a qualified electrician mounts the device if you choose to go with a detector that will be hardwired to your home’s electrical system.

Read more: How to Install a Smoke Detector | eHow.com  

 Check out this: Curiously Cute Smoke Detector

We join in the electrial socket serenade as the Nissan LEAF turns 1 year old.  Happy Birrrthday! It’s a time for electricity to celebrate, like in this spot for Nissan. Sockets all over a house singing away.

An electrial outlet choir? Yes. It is unconventional… even a bit odd. But, we have to admit it is cute rendition by outlets of all kinds: young, old, interior, exterior, and even one night light plugged in. Our only complaint is all the outlets are 110 volts, which would be an unlikely choice to charge a hatchback. It would take almost a day!

 Charge times aside, we included the video for you to see. Feel free to sing along. Congratulations to the world’s first 100% electric car.  LEAF owners have given the world over 32 million gas-free, pure electric miles this year.  

Happy birthday, LEAF.

Consultations  We take pride in listening to your goals so we can build a system that will meet your lifestyle and expectations.

Media Rooms  If you don’t have a dedicated home theater space in your home, consider your Media Room. You can have a great Home Theater System, without having your entertainment components dominating your room’s décor. Our team has years of experience converting family rooms, great rooms, and even dens, into virtual Movie Theaters.

Whole House Audio Imagine having control of your favorite music from any room in your home. Simple solutions for streaming music from your IPod, Pandora, XM, or Sirius can be easily integrated into new or existing systems. 

Distributed Video Our professional installation team can design your system so that your electronic components are in a mechanical room or a closet space and distribute the audio and video to the various rooms in your home.

Commercial Services   We can provide your business with Audio and Video solutions: digital signage, video conferencing systems, and distributed audio and video throughout your establishment.  We have the pleasure of serving businesses, such as Applebee’s, The Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and Dept. of Defense.  

Outdoor Services If you like to do backyard entertaining, or if you would like to enjoy your favorite TV programs outdoors, let us suggest a special flat screen TV that can be exposed to the outdoor climate. Weather-resistant outdoor speakers are also a great way to enjoy your favorite music, maybe by the pool.  

Installation Services

• Flat Panel TV Installation On your wall or above the fireplace

• Projector and Screen Installation

• Speakers (In Wall & Ceiling Installation)

• Wire Concealment (Hiding those ugly wires)

• Picture and Sound Calibration (All Components looking and sounding their best)

• Computer Networking 

• Remote Programming and Consolidation (1 Remote to Control it All)

• Component Hide Away Designs

• Integration of New and Existing Electronic Components

• New Structure Pre-Wires (If you are building a new home or business, save money by having us out to ensure all Audio and Video lines are in place before  your walls go up)

• Digital Antenna Installation

• Dish Network and DirecTV Satellite Service
• Loaner Programs

Need a Service Call?
We do that too!  We offer phone support with live knowledgeable people to assist. 

Service area includes: Georgia and South Carolina