Smoke detectors are essential for home safety, and today’s fire codes require them on every floor and in all living areas—including bedrooms, hallways, and living rooms. While they provide critical protection, certain home layouts and conditions can lead to false alarms, which can be frustrating and, over time, may even compromise your safety.

Why False Alarms Happen

False alarms are common in homes with open-concept designs where the kitchen and living room share one large space. Cooking smoke can easily trigger a nearby smoke detector, causing nuisance alarms. Similarly, bathrooms can be a problem area; steam and humidity from showering can also set off a smoke detector unnecessarily.

The Problem with Removing Smoke Detectors

When faced with constant false alarms, some homeowners may simply remove the smoke detector in the problem area. While this may solve the nuisance, it also leaves the home vulnerable in the event of a fire. Smoke detectors are a vital part of home safety, and removing them is not the answer.

The Better Option: Heat Detectors

Instead of removing the smoke detector, a better solution is to install a heat detector in areas prone to false alarms. Heat detectors are designed to activate only when they sense temperatures above 135°F, making them ideal for spaces like kitchens and bathrooms where smoke and humidity might trigger a traditional smoke detector.

Why Heat Detectors Work

Heat detectors provide peace of mind by ensuring you’re still protected without the hassle of nuisance alarms. By replacing a smoke detector in problem areas with a heat detector, you can eliminate false alarms while maintaining a high level of safety in your home.

At Southern Chester County Electric, we believe in providing safe and effective solutions for your home. If you’re dealing with nuisance alarms or need help upgrading your home’s fire safety system, give us a call. We’ll make sure your home is both safe and comfortable.

With the rise of electric vehicles (EVs), many of us are getting into the world of fast-charge EV chargers. Here at Southern Chester County Electric, we’ve been installing quite a few of them and we’ve learned a lot along the way. It’s important to know that these chargers need a fair bit of electricity, and if you’re thinking about using a generator with them, there are a few things you should consider.

The Power Needs of EV Chargers

Fast-charge chargers are great because they juice up your car quickly, but they do pull a lot of power. When we talk about using a generator, especially the portable kind, it’s often not up to the task. They just can’t provide the amount of electricity needed. And it’s not just the portable ones; even larger, standby generators can struggle under the load.

The Risks of Overloading

If you try to power your EV charger with a generator during an outage, you might end up overloading it. This can cause the generator to shut down, leaving you without power and your EV uncharged. Plus, overloading can damage your generator and other electrical devices at home.

How to Manage the Load

The key is managing the electrical load to prevent overloading your generator. This means being mindful of how much power you’re using at once and ensuring it’s within the generator’s capacity. It’s all about balance and making sure your generator can handle the demand.

We’re Here to Help

If all this sounds a bit daunting, don’t worry! At Southern Chester County Electric, we’re equipped to help you navigate these challenges. Whether you need advice on the right setup, want to upgrade your generator, or just need help with managing your electrical load, we’re just a call away.

In this video I explain how an inexpensive DITEK surge protector can protect your A/C system, potentially preventing thousands of dollars in damages.

Summer is here, and our pools, spas and hot tubs are back in action. Before you get in, make sure to test all GFCI outlets and breakers around the pool and hot tub areas. Each GFI outlet should power off when you press the test button. Immediately replace any defective outlets.

Also, don’t be tempted to use extension cords to power devices near your pool. Use battery powered devices. Keep all electric equipment and appliances away from pools, spas and hot tubs. And of course, stay away from the pool area during thunder and lightning.

Our featured photo shows a new wired and installed 50 amp GFCI hot tub disconnect in Cochranville. Have a great summer!

Today’s homes are full of electronics, things ranging from TVs and computers, to heating and cooling equipment, and more. All of these have sensitive electronics that are susceptible to spikes and power surges. Surge protectors are an important part of a homes electrical system.
Contact Us to discuss Whole House Surge Protection options that may be good for you.

Intermatic model# IG1240RC3 Whole House Surge Protection installed on a double pole 20 amp breaker in Kennett Sq Pa

The National Electrical Code was revised in 2008 to require the use of IBT devices (Intersystem Bonding Termination) when installing or upgrading electric service.

The IBT device makes it easy to properly ground phone, cable, satellite and other connections. Proper grounding on your on your equipment is safer and less likely to be damaged by surges, including lightning.

If you have questions about this device, or want to make sure that your home connections are properly grounded, contact us today!

Southern Chester County Electric wants you to have a safe and warm winter. Space heaters are a good way to heat areas in your home and can save you money by only heating the occupied room, allowing you to turn down the main heat in the rest of the house.

Space heaters can be dangerous if not used properly and are a major cause of fires in the cold winter months. Never leave a space heater unattended and unplug when not in use. Check plug and outlet to make sure you have a nice tight connection and feel the cords and plugs to make sure they are not getting too hot.

Keep heaters at least 3 feet away from combustibles like drapes curtains and furniture. Keep pets and children away and check to see if your heater is equipped with over heat protection and tip over shut off. Never use an extension cord on a electric heater.

The photos above and below show a burned up plug and outlet in Cochranville, PA.

During the recent heat wave our air conditioners are running constantly, around the clock. Its important to have good connections from the breaker panel to where we plug them in.

Any loose connection can cause arcing, heat and eventually a fire. It’s a good idea to check and make sure that you have a good tight connection between the plug and the receptacle. Its also important to have your A/C unit on a separate dedicated line on its own breaker.

The picture above shows a burned-up air conditioner cord and the outlet it was plugged into in a home here in Chester county.

Historically electric heat has been an expensive way to heat your house. However, with the high cost of oil and gas this year the use of portable electric heaters has become more popular.

Electric heaters allow you to turn down the heating system for the whole house and just heat an occupied room where needed.

Electric heaters can be a safety hazard if not used properly. Always leave plenty of space around your heater, keep them away from drapes or curtains, and never use a extension cord.

Also, check cords and plugs to make sure they are not getting hot. Be sure that the outlet you use is nice and tight. Any loose connection with these high wattage heaters can cause a fire hazard.

Above you can see a burned up receptacle from a loose connection that this heater was plugged into from here in West Grove, PA.

Each year many children suffer electric shock or burns from inserting objects into electrical outlets on the wall.  For newly constructed homes and remodel jobs in our area, electricians are required to use tamper resistant (TR) receptacles, also known as child proof outlets.

TR receptacles are designed so that a single object like a paper clip or pin cannot be pushed into the outlet. It has a dual spring loaded shutter that only opens when an actual plug is inserted into it.

If you have young children in your house this is a great safety feature and can be a lot more convenient than the little child proof caps that need to be put in all the outlets.

This photo shows one of many decor style TR receptacles available, this one installed in a home in Avondale, PA.