We all know how unpredictable Central Illinois weather can be, and with more and more unexpected storms and the increasing demand put on our power supply, power loss is happening more frequently. And when it comes to winter weather, that power loss can mean no heat in your home, which is a danger to you and your family and can also lead to issues like frozen pipes. In the winter, it’s no longer just a matter of inconvenience, it can be a risk to your well-being.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), October is National Fire Prevention Month. Here at Ryan Electrical Solutions, we would like to help bring awareness to the leading causes of accidental fires, and the hazards that can cause potential devastation.

Leading Causes of Fires:

Source: https://www.nfpa.org

- Roughly 3 out of 5 fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms.

- Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home-fire injuries

- For decades, smoking has been the leading cause of home-fire deaths

- Heating equipment was involved in one in every five home-fire deaths

Be safe! Don’t know if your alarms are working? Now is the time to check and double check your detectors. Unfortunately, the holiday season is another time in which we see a spike in accidental fires, and they’re right around the corner! Holiday decorating will soon commence, and we encourage you to be prepared. Make sure your smoke/CO2 detectors are properly working.

Fall is right around the corner and that means yard maintenance will be in full swing. A number of yard equipment tools require an electrical plug-in that is easily accessible. And let’s not forget that the holidays are sneaking up too! Do you hang lights and decorations for Halloween and Christmas? Nothing is more frustrating than spending all that time hanging lights, only to notice the bright orange extension cords laying all over the ground. You’ve spent all that time hanging up decorations, and now must worry about hiding multiple extension cords. Don’t ruin your beautiful decorative holiday lights with obnoxious extension cords and long wires. Outdoor receptacles or GFCI’s are a quick and efficient fix to those unnecessary eyesores. Now is the time to start thinking about if your home is in need of exterior outlets, or if you do have them, are they up to current building code guidelines?

Do you ever wish your house was the one your kids wanted to hang out in or your friends wanted to come over to watch the big game at? Perhaps you’re desiring that quality family time with a good movie and buttery popcorn? Whatever the wish, a home theater can help deliver! But if you’ve ever stopped by the electronics department, you’ll soon find that it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the choices and technology available! Rest assured – we are here to help!

These days, many of us are pretty attached to our smartphones. And with good reason! We can keep in touch, check email, get directions, play games, view the weather forecast… you get the idea. One of the latest trends is “smart homes” – and those can be controlled by your phone as well!

What exactly is a smart home?

A “smart home” is a house that has some or most electrical features set up so that they can be controlled from your screen, remote, or smart device. So rather than having to turn on/off manually, or adjust any settings, you can make these changes remotely – from another room of your house or even when you are away from your home. This is called whole house automation, and we’ve been implementing it for happy clients for years.