A typical residence can have upwards of 10,000 feet of electrical conductors installed, most of which are buried in the walls, attics and crawlspaces. A commercial building can have 100,000 to upwards of 1 million feet of electrical conductors. At each device such as a switch or a receptacle are at least three, and typically six or more connections of these conductors within a junction box. The connections can be in the form of twisted connectors, screw terminals, push in terminals and crimped connectors.
When consulting as an expert witness, having certifications can assist in establishing your credibility and qualifications. If you’ve perused the Curriculum Vitaes of the experts at The Warren Group, Inc., you may have seen some of these letters trailing after our names. What do they mean and what organizations grant them? The following is a sampling of some of the certifications our experts have acquired: Read More
If there is one thing Americans can agree upon, it is the enjoyment that comes from an outdoor barbeque. Whether a summertime cookout or a fall BBQ to watch a football game, we all love the fun and fellowship that comes from sharing a meal that was prepared outdoors on a grill or smoker. In fact, 64% of Americans own a grill or smoker. The great majority of these are LP fueled gas grills with comparatively few natural gas fired grills. These products can be enjoyed safely when designed, installed, and used in a proper manner. However, given the grill’s use of flammable fuel gas and high temperatures, the potential exists for things to go wrong and result in burn injuries or uncontained fires that spread to the surroundings. Read More
In architecture, the word fenestration is used to encompass the windows and doors in a building. During my twelve-year career as a design engineer in the fenestration industry, water infiltration resistance (I.E., stopping leaks) consumed almost as much time in the test lab as pressure or impact testing. During the life of typical exterior fenestration products, every driven rain is a test of the product’s water evacuation system. Most windows and doors handle water without much homeowner input, but poor, clogged or covered water drainage systems can allow moisture into the structure, where damage to flooring, walls, and molding may occur. Poor water infiltration resistance also increases the humidity in a living space. Read More
Did you know that I’m passionate about fire protection? Instead of proving it with stories recounting soakings by numerous fire hydrant, fire pump, and deluge system tests, I will share more about fire sprinklers! (Working on solidifying my fire sprinkler nerd status!)
Automatic fire sprinklers have an over 150-year history, with Henry S. Parmelee being credited with Read More
A smoke alarm milestone birthday party!
No kidding, I’m passionate about fire protection! To prove it, I could tell you stories about the damage I have seen from various failures from freezes to fire pump cooling to what happens when a fire hydrant’s weep holes are clogged…. But instead, I will tell you about smoke alarms!
Although it’s still new in my head, my home just turned 10 years old. The decade has seen the replacement of two household appliances and at least one HVAC repair… now what? A paint and décor refresh? Maybe, but that’s not what the fire protection engineer is thinking! It’s time to replace the smoke alarms! Read More
Privately-owned water tanks supplying fire protection systems have a long history. The NFPA published the Standard on Gravity Tanks in 1909. It is one of the oldest NFPA codes, predating even the Life Safety Code’s precursor, the Building Exits Code, first published in 1927. The Standard on Gravity Tanks evolved over the years to become NFPA 22, Standard for Water Tanks for Private Fire Protection. The inspection, testing, and maintenance requirements for all types of private fire water storage tanks are laid out in NFPA 25, Chapter 9 – Water Storage Tanks. While there are about eight different types of fire water tanks, I’d assert that the most common type today is the steel suction tank. Read More
As the holiday season nears, thoughts turn to wonderful home-cooked meals with family. Few things in life are more pleasurable than a traditional holiday turkey feast. Yet for an unfortunate few, holiday meal time can turn tragic if a turkey frying accident occurs. While fried turkeys may be tasty, many fire safety experts feel that the reward is not worth the risk. Read More
Many losses stem from a failure of a household appliance (i.e. dishwasher, water heater), plumbing component (supply lines and fittings), or HVAC system. For over 25 years, Warren experts have utilized their diverse and highly specialized education, training and experience to investigate these types of losses.
Warren conducts product failure investigations at our laboratory, where we evaluate and test items sent to us from across the United States. All testing and reporting is done by experienced and licensed professional engineers. We have the facilities to provide for examinations ranging from a non-destructive examination of a single component to large multiple-party destructive examinations of complex systems. When needed, we provide a written protocol for complex or destructive examinations. Read More
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