HELPFUL TIPS

Helping To Improve The Safety Of Your Home

Excerpts Courtesy of FosterFolly News

Every year, electrical fires result in thousands of injuries, hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage and, in some cases, even death.

While some fires are caused by faulty products, many more are caused by the misuse and poor maintenance of electrical equipment, incorrectly installed wiring, overloaded circuits and misapplied extension cords.

Smoke alarms, fire extinguishers and escape ladders are all examples of emergency equipment used in homes to take action when a fire occurs. A device called an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter, or AFCI, is a residential circuit breaker designed to detect arcing faults and thus prevent fires from occurring in the first place.

Arcing can occur when you're hanging a picture and inadvertently pierce a wire in the wall, when old wires fray or when you string extension cords together to run fans or space heaters.

Approximately 2,300 injuries, 67,800 fires and 485 deaths occur each year that can be associated with home wiring, totaling $868 million in property losses. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that "AFCI devices may address 50 percent or more of these fires."

The latest development in this kind of technology is from Siemens. Called the Combination AFCI, it's designed to provide the maximum available fire protection in a residential circuit breaker device.

The new Combination Type AFCI device is equipped with patented LED trip indicators, which will help electricians and homeowners pinpoint the type of problems that may cause the device to trip. The LEDs are located near the handle of the circuit breaker. "Arc faults are extremely dangerous because they generally occur in wiring that is behind drywall or in attics, going undetected until a fire breaks out, which is why Siemens has been investing in research and development and partnering with industry innovators to develop arc fault technology," said Dennis Sadlowksi, president and CEO of Siemens Energy & Automation.

In addition, the company has a family of residential products to keep your home safe, such as Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCI), surge protection, home automation, and load centers.

When it comes to the safety of your family and your property, Siemens products are there to protect you.

To learn more, visit the Web site at www.sea.siemens.com/afci.

An Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter, or AFCI, is designed to detect a wide range of arc faults that can be the source of a fire.