Happy Halloween from all of us at MNR Electric. Before the doorbell starts ringing tonight, we wanted to say thank you. Every porch light we have wired, every panel we have replaced and every 2 am call we have answered this year came from an Edmonton family or business that trusted us, and we do not take that lightly.
Halloween is one of our favourite nights in the city. The inflatables, the fog machines, the strings of orange lights running off one brave extension cord. We love the effort people put in, and as electricians we also notice the cords running under doormats and the power bars sitting in slush. So, in the spirit of the season, three quick things that keep the fun going without a trip to the panel.
Three porch tips before the trick-or-treaters arrive
- Plug outdoor decorations into an outdoor receptacle with a weatherproof cover, and use a cord that is rated for outdoor use. Indoor cords and power bars belong indoors, even on a dry night.
- Keep the total modest. LED lights and small inflatables are light loads, but a fog machine, a projector and a heater on the same circuit will trip a breaker right when the line-up is longest. If something trips, unplug a few things before you reset it.
- Put lights and cords where feet are not. Along the railing, up the post, taped to the step riser. A cord across the walkway is the most common Halloween injury we hear about, and it has nothing to do with electricity.
If a receptacle outside your house has stopped working, or you are tired of running cords through the window every October, a few more outdoor outlets or a switched soffit circuit is a small job for us and a big upgrade for you. Our home lighting page covers the options, and our Christmas lights guide picks up where this post leaves off.
Thank you, Edmonton
From the office team who answers the phone, to the electricians in the vans, to the families who wait up for us: thank you for another year. Have a safe night, hand out the good candy, and if anything electrical goes sideways, the 24 hour line is open tonight like every night: 780.466.9106.
Happy Halloween, from the MNR Electric team.
