Ep. 12 | Raul McCoy - Safety 1st Electrical Services Inc

Raul McCoy started Safety 1st Electrical Services after his mother's house caught fire in 2019 due to an electrical issue in a multi-unit building. At the time he was working as a commercial electrician, but the fire made him realize he wanted to help homeowners avoid similar disasters. He named the company Safety 1st because preventing electrical fires became his mission.

“Back in 2019, my mom had a house fire and it was electrical fire. When I found out that her house caught fire due to an electric fire, that really made me to look at things differently because if there was something that I could have done to prevent that, then I would have done that.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy focuses on residential work because homeowners are the most disadvantaged in the trades. They do not receive a manual on how to maintain their house, and many lack education about electrical safety. Raul believes it is his responsibility to educate clients even if the solutions require an investment, and he wants to help people in their most vulnerable space.

“Homeowners are the most disadvantaged in all of the trades, not just electrical. One, because they're uneducated in most of the trades. They don't give you a 'this is how you take care of your house' manual when you buy your house.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy says space heaters are the number one cause of electrical fires. They draw a lot of electricity, and when circuits are not sized properly or outlets have stab-back connections, the plastic behind the outlet melts from heat buildup. Surge protectors are another common problem because people overload them with too many devices, and they are designed to prevent surges but not overheating.

“Space heaters are the number one things that cause electrical fires in the world. Space heaters pull a lot of electricity and most times people don't consider the fact that they pull so much electricity and they'll have a space heater plugged in with the TV or two space heaters plugged in in the same location.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy explains that stab-back connections are wires that go straight into a piece of plastic in the back of outlets. Electricity is heat, and over time that heat melts the plastic. The problem can go unnoticed for years, and if the circuit is overloaded the breaker may trip repeatedly until it can no longer handle the load and a fire starts.

“Those stab-back connections is literally just a wire going straight into a piece of plastic. Heat is, electricity is just heat. So it heats up that plastic and over time that plastic melts. And if not addressed, it'll last for years before you even recognize that it's an issue.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy and his team handle generator installations and servicing, EV charger installs, panel upgrades, electrical troubleshooting and repairs, custom lighting including landscape and soffit lighting, and grounding work. They focus entirely on residential service and treat each home like their clinic, diagnosing everything and keeping homes in top shape.

“We do everything that your house can use as far as electricity whether it's generator installation, servicing generators, EV charger installations, panel upgrades, wiring, troubleshooting, repairing light, custom lighting. We do landscape lights, soffit lighting.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy offers transparent upfront pricing with multiple tiers. He prices solutions from the most permanent fix down to the most temporary or band-aid option, so homeowners can choose what fits their budget. He does not ask for a customer's budget first because he does not want them to feel pressured. Most people choose the functional to permanent option.

“We price it in a way that we price our things from the most permanent solution all the way to the most temporary solution. We don't let, we never ask for what their budget is because we don't want them to feel like we're trying to get to a number.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy says his team always does a thorough inspection of the electrical panel on every service call. The panel is where all power starts, and most homeowners never look inside. The inspection is a courtesy to catch potential problems before they become dangerous.

“Any client that we ever take care of, we start at the electrical panel because that's where power starts, just to make sure there aren't any issues there. And that's just a courtesy.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy keeps his schedule flexible so he can respond to emergencies the same day. He avoids taking on large commercial projects that would tie up his team for weeks. He often hears from clients that other contractors who do commercial work are two weeks out, but because Safety 1st does only residential service they can be available when homeowners need them most.

“Most times, when it's an emergency, you need somebody today. We don't do commercial. We do residential services for homeowners just like you, and that way we can make ourselves available for your emergencies.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy hires based on core values first. He wants people who are honest, have integrity, and are willing to serve. Being a good person is more important than technical skill because he can train someone to be an electrician. He follows the principle of hiring slow and firing fast to make sure new hires align with the company's mission of treating clients like family.

“First thing first is we want you to be a good person. And if you're a good person, then you align with what we're trying to put out into the world. Because I don't want to send someone to your house and we get a bad representation.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy did a week-long project without charging a deposit or having a contract. When he finished the work, the client left town and never paid him. That experience taught him to require deposits and contracts upfront. He thought everyone was nice, but he learned that some people are not.

“We used to do work without charging a deposit, now we do. I did a whole project. And once I got done with the project, the client flew out of town. They never, to this day, reach back out to me, send the money, anything. That really hurt because I invested like a week worth of my time and energy.”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy describes the EcoFlow system as a backup battery setup that stores electricity for a home. It is not a generator but can be tied to generators or solar panels. One client is using it to prepare to go off-grid. The batteries charge through the utility, and once charged the homeowner can turn off the utility and run the house on stored energy, cutting the electric bill.

“EcoFlow is a backup battery system for your home. It's not a generator, it's just backup storage that can be tied to a generator. It can also be tied to solar panels. The batteries are tied directly to your electrical panel, and as those batteries charge, you can essentially turn off your utility and use the batteries ”Raul McCoy

Raul McCoy says the EcoFlow equipment alone, including batteries and inverters, costs around eleven thousand dollars before installation. A complete solar setup including equipment and install can reach twenty thousand dollars or more. The investment pays for itself over time by eliminating or greatly reducing utility bills, especially if it is a forever home.

“The batteries and the inverters can cost around 11 grand just for the equipment. To do like 100% solar, you're getting up into like 20 grand territory, potentially. And that's just equipment. That's not even the install.”Raul McCoy