Electrical Detectives' Blog
 
The U.S. Fire Administration reports that:
  • During a typical year, home electrical problems account for 67,800 fires, 2,305 injuries, 485 deaths, and $868 million in property losses.
  • Most electrical wiring fires start in the bedroom.
  • Stoves, ovens, dryers, central heating units, televisions, and radios are the most common culprits in electrical firs.

Here are some tips for improving the electrical safety of your home:
  • Check and replace outlets that have loose-fitting plugs or broken or missing wall plates, which can overheat and lead to fires. make sure there are safety covers on all unused outlets accessible to your children, or have the receptacle replaced with tamper proof receptacles.
  • Ensure all cords are in good condition - not frayed or cracked - and are not in high traffic areas where people could trip. Cords should never be nailed or stapled to the wall, baseboard, or any other object. Do not place cords under carpets or rugs or rest furniture on them.
  • Make sure extension cords or outlets are not overloaded with too many appliances.
  • Make sure your plugs fit your outlets. Never force or alter a plug that doesn't fit.
  • Check the wattage of all bulbs in light fixtures to make sure they are the correct wattage for the fixture size.
  • Never leave plugged-in appliances where they might come in contact with water. If a plugged-in appliance falls into water, NEVER REACH IN to pull it out. First, turn off the power source at the load center. Then, unplug the appliance. Don't use a wet appliance until it has been checked by a qualified repair person.
  • Don't use space heaters with extension cords. Plug them directly into an outlet on a relatively unburdened circuit when in use, and unplug them when your'e finished.

Electrical Detectives is offering an electrical safety evaluation of your home for only $37 to the first 20 people who respond to this letter. We see a lot of "crazy" things out in the field and want you all to be safe. I hope you'll take us up on this offer. You can also check out our MONTHLY SPECIALS for more money saving offers by visiting our website at www.ElectricDetective.com/learn-more/monthly-specials    

Stay Safe,
Jason Shadowen
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Happy April Fools Day!

I'm not going to play some prank on you though. April is such a great month. Did you know that April is "Keep America Beautiful" month? It's also home to Earth Day and Arbor Day. Yes, there's much more to our fourth month than taxes, rain, and baseball's opening day.

There's actually an entire organization - Keep America Beautiful - that focuses on keeping our country beautiful through litter prevention, waste reduction, and community improvement. Check it our at www.kab.org. We want to do our part to keep our country, and this community that we live and work in, beautiful.

In addition to our regular flower planting this year, we decided to plant a garden at our home. Our 2 sons are heading the project up. So far we have beans, tomatoes, pumpkins, watermelons and much more. I'm excited to see how it turns out. Maybe you could start a garden. It's not that hard.

In addition to planting a garden, we are starting to recycle our plastics, cans and paper products. It's as simple as placing three separate bins in the garage and once they are full take them to the recycling center. Check out Recycle Williamson County's Facebook page for more details on drop off locations. 

Don't hesitate to call us at 618.988.8731 for planting or recycling advice. I'ts a small step but it all adds up. Together, we can make a difference and keep our country beautiful.

Until next time,
Jason Shadowen

P.S. In case you're wondering, we don't just grow flowers or recycle - we're also growing our electrical service and repair business. Be sure to check out our monthly money saving specials at www.ElectricalDetectives.com. Mention this blog post on our next service call to your home, and we'll give you $25 off any future repairs or services! 

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The first day of spring is upon us.  The flowers are blooming.  Birds are chirping.  Kids are playing…and I’m inside tackling a year’s worth of grime by deep cleaning my kitchen. I hope these tips from your friendly neighborhood electrician will help you finish this project ASAP, so you can get outside and have some fun.

1.   Always clean from the top down. As you work, dirt will fall down onto unclean areas.

2.   Let your cleaner do the work for you by spraying your oven the night before. This will “marinate” the grease and grime and make it easy to sponge off.

3.   To clean your microwave, boil a cup of water inside before you begin. The steam will loosen the caked on splatters and make it easier for you to wipe it clean with a gentle detergent and water mixture.

4.   Vacuum the stove vents, refrigerator coils, counters, and floor.

5.   Defrost that freezer. A hair dryer aimed at the ice will speed up the process (make sure it‘s plugged into a GFCI protected receptacle (see our website under “Safety” for more details). Show no mercy in getting rid of all the old food you’ll find inside (before it crawls away on its own!). 

6.   To make sure your food doesn’t pick up a scent (lemon-flavored steak sandwiches, anyone?), clean the inside of your freezer and fridge with a solution of three tablespoons baking soda and one quart warm water.

7.   Scrub counters, appliances, and stovetops with an all-purpose glass cleaner or the baking soda solution listed above. You can make your own all-natural glass cleaner by mixing 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 1 quart warm water in a spray bottle.

8.   Place a bowl of bleach on the lower dishwasher rack, and run a wash cycle. Stop before it goes into a dry cycle, and replace the bleach with a bowl of vinegar. Restart and run the dishwasher through an entire cycle. 

As always give Electrical Detectives a call for your spring to do lists on everything from adding lights, changing receptacles, adding pool or hot tub circuits, or upgrading your electrical system or lots more! TakeCall us today at 618.988.8731 or visit us online at www.ElectricalDetectives.com.

Enjoy the spring,
Jason Shadowen

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Every February the country celebrates one of my favorite holidays. No, it’s not Valentine’s Day. But this day has inspired generations of weather watchers and even a movie starring Bill Murray. That’s right, folks, I’m talking about February 2, Groundhog Day.

The American tradition of Groundhog Day dates back to when the Germans first settled in the Pennsylvania area. A European custom called for a hedgehog to predict the remaining length of winter. With no hedgehogs handy, the Germans settled on the groundhog. The legend was born in what today is Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

Each February 2, celebrity groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his hole after a long winter’s sleep. If Phil sees his shadow, we’re told there will be six more weeks of winter, and Phil heads back inside. If it’s a cloudy day and Phil can’t see his shadow, we take it as a sign that spring has sprung, and Phil stays above ground to party with thousands of revelers.

In the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray’s self-centered TV weather forecaster character arrives in Punxsutawney to report on the festivities. Through a strange twist, though, he’s forced to relive this particular Groundhog Day over and over again.

I’m curious.  If you could relive any one day, which day would you choose, and why? Your wedding day? Your high school prom? The first day you discovered the incredible power of a TV remote control?

Drop me a brief note (100 words or less) by February 28 describing your answer, and our esteemed panel of judges will select our five favorite responses. The five winners will receive Family Video gift certificates, so you can purchase your own copies of Groundhog Day.

Send all entries to:
“Groundhog Day” Contest Via e-mail to Info@ElectricalDetectives.com 

Yours in creativity,
Jason Shadowen  


P.S. Be watching our website and social feeds throughout the month for some awesome updates! You will not want to miss these updates! They could literally save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars.
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Money isn't everything, but my experience has been that it does help pay the bills. If you're looking for ways to save, one of your New Year's resolutions should be to take these small steps, which could add up to big savings.

1. A home power/energy audit can identify ways to save on energy costs. Call us to have one scheduled for only $54.



2. To save money on gas, keep your vehicle's engine tuned and the tires inflated to their proper pressure.

3. Shop around for the best credit card deals. To avoid making high interest payments, pay off your entire bill each month or, better yet, use cash for purchases.

4. Switch off the lights in any room you're not using.

5. Change your light bulbs around the house to fluorescent or L.E.D. light bulbs. A good rule of thumb to use; if the light is on longer than 15 minutes use fluorescent or L.E.D. bulbs. If they are on less than 15 minutes use regular incandescent bulbs.

6. Planting deciduous trees can reduce heating and cooling cost. When selectively placed around a house, they provide protection from the summer sun while allowing winter sunlight to warm your house. Visit Plantscape Nursery (www.PlantscapeNursery.com) for some great winter time deals. 

7. You can save tens of thousands of dollars in interest charges by shopping for the shortest-term mortgage you can afford. Visit a local bank like Southern Illinois Credit Union (www.SIUCU.org) or a company that specializes in mortgages like Mid-America Mortgage Services (www.mams.net).

8. If your company matches your 401(k) or other retirment plan contributions, participate in the program, and give as much as you can - it's free money for you.

9. Brown bag your lunch.

10. Try clipping coupons. The Sunday Southern Illinoisan and the Sunday St. Louis Post Dispatch both have a plethora of coupons and can be delivered straight to your door.

In addition to offering money-saving advice, I run an electrical service and repair company here in Southern Illinois. I'll add to your savings by taking $25.00 off your next service call if you mention this blog when you call to book and appointment.

Enjoy your savings!
Jason Shadowen.
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Did you know...
  • Roughly two-thirds of home fire deaths happen in homes with no or non-working smoke alarms.
  • In fires considered large enough to activate the smoke alarms, battery powered alarms only operated 75% of the time. 
  • One home structure fire is reported every 87 seconds. According to the Red Cross, "Fires kill more Americans each year than all natural disasters combined. 
                                                                        (Statistics according to the National Fire Protection Association (2009)                                                                                                      
Since 1986, when interconnected smoke detectors that can talk to each other were invented, the fire safety codes have come a long way in saving lives. Today's home standards is to have a smoke detector on every floor plus one in each bedroom. These should all be hard wired and interconnected. Hard wired means that there are physical wires connecting the smoke detectors together. If an interconnected smoke detector registers a fire in one room, all the alarms in the house will ring immediately - giving you and your family the most amount of time possible to get safely out of the house.

We do have wirelessly interconnected smoke detectors that can be installed very easily in your home. We would not have to tear open any ceilings or walls to install these devices and still they would talk to each other, giving you the piece of mind you and your family deserve.

To learn more about fire safety or any other products or services, you can visit us at www.ElectricalDetectives.com

To encourage you to help make your home safer, we are running a special on smoke detectors through the end of October: 18% off each hard wired smoke alarm installed! To schedule an appointment, call the fast, professional electricians at Electrical Detectives.

This offer expires on 10-31-11 so Don't Delay Call or Click Today!

PS: In the meantime, if you have just battery powered detectors please check your batteries to ensure that they are working and have an escape plan ready.
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Today Only, get 8% off your total invoice! Call us today (618) 988-8731 or click here and book a call for next month, next week, or today and get 8% off your total invoice. Need your home rewired? Fuse panel upgraded? Electrical code issues? CALL or Click TODAY! 

ALSO...

Get $80 for a referral fee!!! If someone you referred to us calls today and books a call to have one of the following: home rewired, electrical panel replacement, main electrical service replacement, or a whole house smoke alarm system, WE WILL GIVE YOU $80!!!

They have to tell us that you referred them so we will know who to thank for the referral.

Don't Delay, Call or Click Today! (618) 988-8731 or click here  to schedule your appointment and save 8% off your total invoice.

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Come visit us at the 2011 Home Builders Association Spring Home Expo! Saturday March 12 from 9 am to 6 pm and Sunday March 13 from 10 am to 6 pm at the Williamson County Pavilion. That's located right behind the Illinois Centre Mall in Marion IL.

There will be many of the best contractors from around our area. So if you have spring projects coming up, this will be a great opportunity to meet with them in person. Get questions answered, set up an appointment to get a quote. 

There will also be many prizes and giveaways this weekend! Fun stuff for the kids. They can build and keep a wooden toolbox. Something for the whole family!

Come to our booth and learn what money saving tip #4 is. Be one of the first 350 people to visit our booth, and receive a special opportunity! The first 100 kids that visit our booth will get something really cool!

Don't miss this weekend!

Check out this video for more information.

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Install Ceiling Fans!
Moving air tends to help you feel warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, allowing for lower wintertime and higher summertime thermostat settings. The effect is equivalent to about 4 Degrees Fahrenheit, and using less energy than air conditioners and furnaces in doing so.

Call Electrical Detectives today to save 15% on any new ceiling fan install or replacement of an old ceiling fan.

618.988.8731
OR
Click here to schedule service online!

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Use Task Lighting.

Why pay to brightly light an entire room if you're working in just a portion of it? Instead, try focusing light only where you need it. On your desk when paying bills in your home office. Under the kitchen cabinets when chopping ingredients for dinner. Or, on a side table when reading in bed.

Take 15% OFF Under Cabinet Installation if you respond to this blog by 1-28-11. Don't Delay, Schedule Service Today! 618.988.8731

Visit www.ElectricalDetectives.com for more money saving tips and a FREE $20 gift card for future services.

To Your Savings!
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