Is Your New Light Fixture Safe?
Shopping online? Just because you can buy it, doesn’t mean that it’s approved to install in Canada. If it’s not certified, it’s also not covered by your homeowners insurance should something happen. Strange but true, and these requests come to Sauga Electric several times a month! Unsuspecting homeowners simply start shopping and often end up picking out light fixtures based on aesthetic preference alone. Once an electrician is contacted to install the fixtures, they are often disappointed to find out that their chosen light does not meet the proper safety approvals in Canada. This leaves customers either scrambling to return the item or left simply footing the bill, as any licensed electrician will not install an unapproved fixture.
We’re hoping to see this loophole taken care of in the next few years as it seems to create an unnecessary headache for everyone involved. In the meantime, there are a few simple, preventative steps you can take when shopping for light fixtures.
Shop In Person. Large retail stores like Home Depot are required to take safety, liability and local bylaws into account when curating a retail selection for a certain area.
Buy Canadian Made. Although each province has its own electrical, governing authority that regulates approval, most Canadian made lighting fixtures will follow along the same standards. Many foreign-made, and even some American made fixtures are not certified to install here in Ontario.
Look for the proper Certification Labels. At the end of the day, you need to see the approval label marked with the CSA, ULC, or ETL logo in order to know for sure that your chosen fixture is certified to install here in Ontario. These logo(s) should be on the box, instruction manuals and on the fixture itself, and you’ll only need to find one of them, although some fixture manufacturers go the extra mile and get all approvals.
Again, your homeowners insurance will not cover damages related to an unapproved installation. Always keep this in mind when shopping for electrical fixtures and shop from reputable, Canadian companies or in person to avoid this common issue.
