Preparing For Thanksgiving Electrical Usage
While the rest of the country slowly devours the last of the Halloween candy and tries to plan the Thanksgiving guest list, the electricians’ phones have started ringing. Our customers, looking ahead at to the Thanksgiving glut of power usage, are calling to have their repairs and upgrades done now so they can maintain their electrical integrity during the holidays.
Thanksgiving is a hot time for electric usage: TXU, a Texas energy provider, estimates that U.S. consumers spend about $25 million dollars roasting their turkeys in the oven--26 million of them of which are supplied with electricity. This figure is non inclusive of the mashed potatoes, those yummy yams with the marshmallows on top, or the pumpkin pies.
$25 million in turkey roasting costs alone. Wow!
The danger of a house fire on Thanksgiving is formidable. In fact, Thanksgiving is the number one day for house fires in the entire year! You can read more about the causes of kitchen fires here. The other big cause of fires is improper use of propane turkey fryers. We cannot stress how important it is to use these properly. In fact, the Phoenix Fire Department has created this video to show you some safety tips if you decide to fry your turkey.
Another big Thanksgiving tradition is the entertainment, since the Thanksgiving Day lineup starts with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at 9 am and proceeds with three big football games*. While guests are enjoying those games (and being thankful the deep fryer didn’t blow up and burn the house down), they also vie for electrical sockets to plug in their smartphones so they can watch their Fantasy Football team soar to victory or crash and burn.
Finally, Thanksgiving weekend is the time that many families put up their holiday lighting. In keeping with the family tradition of not getting electrocuted, many homeowners install GFCI and weather-protected outlets for their outdoor holiday lighting. Careful inspection of each strand also ensures that there aren’t any damaged or exposed wires.
Advance preparation for all of these activities gives a homeowner a pretty good idea of any electrical repairs that might need to be done for the holidays, but also gives them an awareness of the heavy electrical usage they will encounter. Not just from cooking and entertainment, but also from the needs of the number of guests who are invited. The lights, the number of times the front door is opened, using the dishwasher, and things like opening the refrigerator all contribute to the bill.
Finally, we’d like to take this opportunity to wish you, our loyal customers and readers, a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
We are thankful for your loyal friendship and support throughout the year!
We are thankful for your loyal friendship and support throughout the year!
*Lions against the Vikings 12:30 CBS, Redskins against the Cowboys 4:30 Fox, Steelers against the Colts 8:30 NBC
