Use electricity safely everywhere in your home

Most of us take the safety of our home’s electrical system for granted. And yet faulty electrical systems are blamed for more than 67,000 fires in homes every year. Fires that kill hundreds of people and injure thousands more. That’s why Siemens continues to develop new safety technologies to protect people in their homes.
Combination type arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI) are the latest addition to our family of products designed to make sure that electricity can be used safely and reliably everywhere in a home. AFCIs detect arc faults in damaged wiring and stop the flow of electricity before a fire can start. AFCIs are an essential part of a complete electrical protection system designed to provide whole house safety.

What causes arc faults?
Arc faults can occur for many reasons and anywhere in a home’s electrical system. But they usually occur at low power levels that can’t be detected by a traditional circuit breaker. If you’ve ever plugged an electrical cord into an outlet and seen bluish sparks, you’ve seen an arc. They can occur in both old and new homes, therefore protection is needed.

Why are they dangerous?
Because arc faults can occur at low power levels and often behind walls, they can go undetected for many years. But they generate high temperatures that can easily exceed the combustion point of common building materials and may cause a fire.

What can you do to protect your home and family?
With more than one million new homes being constructed every year, and millions more being remodeled, the opportunity to protect more homes and families with a modern electrical safety system is significant. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. By asking your builder or electrical contractor to install combination-type AFCI devices for every room in your home, you can help assure that your family and possessions have maximum protection against electrical fires.