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20 - Real Estate: The Oakville Beaver, W e d n e s d a y F e b ru a ry 2 2 , 2 0 0 6 Electrical safety at home To most of us, electricity is simply flickering a switch or turning a dial to light up a room, cook supper or get instant entertainment. We take it for granted -- that is until there's a power failure and we have to scramble to find flashlights, candles and matches in the dark. Making your home safe and com fortable takes a deeper understanding. Let's start by remembering that the electricity we receive in our homes is part of a powerful, intricate system made up of power lines and generators. It generally enters our homes through power lines to a main switch at 120 to 240 volts. The main switch is clearly marked with an "on" and "off1position and controls at the power in the house. All lighting or general use circuits in a home are protected by either "cir cuit breakers" in newer homes or fuses in older ones. You should always dis connect the power by moving the main switch to the "off' position when changing fuses or doing electrical work around the house. Never open the door of the main switch -- if you sense something is wrong, call your electric ity supplier. The panel box or fuse box from the main switch is the one that splits the power into circuits that go into all the rooms in your home. If you overload a circuit, say by plugging too many things in, the fuse may blow or the cir cuit breaker may trip, stopping the flow of power to that particular area. In the basement If you're looking for the breaker panels or fuse boxes in a home, you'll usually find them in the basement. They require little if any maintenance. Fuse boxes require the right type and size of fuses. Overloading circuits could cause power loss, or even lead to a fire. If you detect rust in the fuse box, or if a fuse repeatedly blows for no appar ent reason; if there is overheating, dis colouration of fuses or flickering lights, contact an electrician to solve the problem. · Use a flashlight if the area where the fuse box is located is dark. · Never change a fuse while stand ing on a wet floor. · Unplug appliances on the over loaded circuit and turn off the main switch. · Install the proper size fuse -- most lighting and general use circuits are fused at 15 amps. · Keep the fuse box or breaker panel cover closed to protect children and prevent dirt from accumulating. Look after your cords · Pull the plug when removing from electrical outlet. Pulling on the cord will wear it out and may create a shock hazard. · Keep cords away from heat and water, which can damage the insula tion and create a shock hazard. · Never run electrical cords under rugs, through doorways or anywhere subject to excessive wear. This may lead to a fire hazard. · Never break off the third prong on a plug so it can fit into a two-prong outlet. This will create a shock hazard. @ Home With The Goodale Group D o n G o o d a le B ra d M ille r #1 group in Canada! for Century 21 in 2005 · Regularly inspect all cords and plugs. To avoid fire, short circuits or shocks, discard all cords and plugs that are worn or damaged. · Plugging several cords into an outlet, or using an extension cord as permanent wiring, indicates that your home wiring is outdated for your needs and that you should have more outlets wired in. · Prevent pets from chewing elec tric cords by rubbing the cords with a bar of strong laundry soap. Use electrical appliances carefully · Before buying, make sure it has a certification mark or seal ensuring electrical safety whenjjie appliance is used properly. · Follow all the manufacturers' instructions. 4 · Never use any electric appliances around water. Even if your hands are wet, or you're standing on a wet floor, you could get a shock or other injury. For example, be careful when using hair blowers and radios in the bath area. · Don't pry toast from a plugged-in toaster with a knife or a fork. If you want to avoid a shock, unplug the toaster first. · Never touch plugged-in appli ances When your hands are wet. Always unplug them before cleaning. · If an appliance sparks, overheats or stalls, pull the plug and have it checked by a service person. Other safety tips · Never touch power lines yourself or With any equipment. T&ke extra care when working near them. Before doing any digging, call your local hydro comV pany to locate underground power lines. · When planting trees around your home, make sure they won't grow up into power lines. Don't attempt to prune or fell any trees near power lines yourself. Call your local hydro compa ny. A tree falling into a power line can be very dangerous. · Power tools should have a threeprong plug or double insulation. Keep them in good condition and never use power tools on wet grass or other wet surfaces. If you need an extension cord, use a proper, three-prong, grounded cord. Don Goodale is a sales representa tive and Brad Miller is an associate bro ker for CENTURY 21 Miller Real Estate Ltd. Both can be reached at 905-8459180 or through the web at www.goodalemillergroup.com. This article was produced by the Ontario Real Estate Association and reprinted with their permission. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of. this article. However, the informa tion is general in nature. Please seek professional advice relevant to your specific situation. NEW LISTING CONTEMPORARY CUSTOM HOME A truly rare blend of creativity, artistry & pure luxury combine to create ·a contemporary styled home that is like no other. This home features the ultimate in finishes with imported stones, a Neff Kitchen, radiant heated flooring, huge open spaces & a massive 2 storey atrium. Located in the most sought after neighbourhood in Mississauga-on a 1 acre plus lot. Parking for 12 cars. TRANQUIL & DISTINCTIVE This incredible 11,000 sq. ft. home is situated on a private 3.5 acre waterlot & 1.5 acres of table land. Offering 6 bdrms, 7 full baths, home theatre, indoor pool with hot tub & sauna. $15,000,000 $13,900,000 IDEAL FAMILY HOME Virtually rebuilt from the ground up. 4,500 sq. ft. of luxury and situated on a massive 90' x 235' lot. All the most wanted features such as gourmet kitchen with loads of custom cabinetry, granites, hardwoods, pot lighting and smart wiring. Be one of the first to view. THE "DEBBIE TRAVIS" HOME The home Oakville is talking about! Built for Debbie Travis's new show airing in the spring. Warm, contemporary styling featuring many luxury finishes not yet available to the market. Loaded with bells & whistles and extremely well designed and finished. Stunning kitchen, great room and library. $1,999,900 $1,999,500 ^ ENGLISH COUNTRY HOME Amazing 100' x 158' mature treed lot one block from the Lake and the shops and restaurants of downtown Oakville. This is a true character home in a much sought after historical section o f town. Master bedroom and ensuite on main level. Great curb appeal and quiet street. ONE-OF-A-KIND! Fabulous courtyard w it^ r>lur, of the 2000 ' vaulted ceilings a. Above grade v gardens. \u n ta in & winner aturing soaring Veiling windows, to incredible $1,495,000 $1,475,000 NEW PRICE MODEL HOME CONDITION Approx 3100 sq. ft. C/B n'hood. Terrific 0/C floor crown moldings, granites, ceilings & maple hdwd. luxurious ensuite. Walking shops. home in a great south-east plan. Loaded with upgrades, S/S appl, pot lighting, 9 ft. MBR w ith huge walk-in & distance to great schools & FABULOUS EAST END LOCATION Fully renewed home w ith new kit. & baths, hrdwds, fireplaces, pot lights etc. Great room sizes and floor plan. Open concept kit/famrm with walkouts to a large rear yard w ith pool, extensive landscaping and large trees. Highly desirable family orientated n'hood w ithin easy walking distance to great schools. $1,099,000 $999,,000 MILLER REAL ESTATE LTD -- 905- 845-9180 ------------------------------------------------ DON GOODALE* BRAD M ILLER* * View our listings & virtual tours at www.GoodaleMillerGroup.com Sales Representative