Hardwood Floors April/May 2026

By Jason Elquest | Blackhawk Floors Inc. HARDWOOD HINTS

Cord Safety

One of the things we talk about a lot at NWFA schools is cord safety. It’s important to check the condition of an electrical cord before it is plugged in. I don’t want to ever plug a cord in and leave it all coiled up due to electrical resistance. When they get hot, sometimes even the fittings themselves will get hot and melt. It probably won’t happen on a small, short cord, but it can happen on a great big cord. Even if you only need another 10 feet on a secondary cord, make sure you unwind the whole thing. When I arrive at a jobsite, I’ll take the cord, lay it out on the floor, and check it. I look at the plug before it’s ever plugged in and run my hand along the entire length of the cord. I’m feeling for any imperfections in the cord – maybe where it got hit with a drum sander in the past or a table saw was sat on it in the trailer. If I feel any imperfections, I’m going to make sure it’s all good. You want the connectors to be nice and tight too. Once I feel comfortable with the cord, I stretch it out to my machine and then I know that I’m safe to plug it into my booster box. And remember, using a booster box definitely will help with the life of your machines.

WATCH IT! See Jason Elquest complete this process in a video on NWFA’s YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram pages.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF NWFA

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