Is Your Home in Need of Electrical Rewiring?

May 25th, 2020

electrical-partsOf all the issues that can impact various areas of your home, electrical problems can be the most dangerous. A plumbing problem can inflict a lot of water damage, but an electrical problem can potentially cause house fires or electrocution. It’s essential that you have a professional electrician check the wiring in your home at least once every few years. Otherwise, you’re substantially increasing the likelihood that a problem will occur.

Even with routine maintenance appointments, there’s still a chance that an electrical problem can happen in your home. You should be familiar with some of the telltale signs of an electrical problem, so that you can contact an electrician as soon as possible. We’ve named some of these signs below.

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Power Surge Protection: Do You Know Your Risks?

May 11th, 2020

power-stripIf your home is anything like the average American home, you have a lot more electrical equipment and appliances in it than ever before. You probably have multiple devices connected to your power supply and electrical grid at any given time, right? That’s great, but it’s important to know the best way to protect your appliances and power charging stations.

Power surges, also known as voltage surges or voltage spikes, can do irreversible damage to electrical components, causing you to replace them much sooner than you would have had to otherwise. Think you can avoid this because you have power strips located at all your outlets? These do offer a layer of protection, but they’re not the end-all solution—more on that below. The good news is, there is more you could do to protect your home’s electrical system and the appliances connected to it.

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Don’t Let This One Thing Ruin Your HVAC Efficiency

April 27th, 2020

closeup-of-dust-on-air-filterWhat is this one thing, you ask? A dirty air filter!

Are you surprised by our answer? If you’re like most homeowners, you might think the only reason you should care about your HVAC system’s air filter is due to the allergens and particles in your air. But you’re only partially correct.

It’s often assumed that a dirty air filter is a problem because it keeps the air dirty, and this is why HVAC technicians tell you to change yours every 1-3 months. If you aren’t suffering from allergies, you may think your air filter is doing just fine.

But here’s the thing—helping your indoor air quality is only a very small fraction of what this air filter does. The true purpose of your standard air filter is to protect the interior components of your HVAC system. Read on to learn more about this, and to discover just how a dirty air filter can impact your HVAC efficiency and quality of life.

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What You May Not Know about Outlet Installations: AFCI vs. GFCI

April 13th, 2020

new-gfci-outlet-imposed-on-white-backgroundYour household’s electrical grid is easily one of the most important components in the living space. Each of your appliances requires this system to work—even gas-powered heaters use an electric starter. If your electrical system is malfunctioning, you can experience all kinds of problems.

Safety is a concern, too, when your electrical system is malfunctioning. Electrical problems of any type can pose a serious threat to your living space, and to your family. Electrocution is a real threat, which brings us to our topic for this post—making sure you have the right outlets in place to protect your appliances, electrical equipment, and your home’s occupants.

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It’s That Time of Year: Schedule Your AC Tune-Up!

March 30th, 2020

analog-wall-clock-on-white-backgroundIf that heatwave last week was any indication, springtime is here to remind us that soon enough, we will need our air conditioners on a daily basis. Is your cooling system ready for a full season of work though?

One of the most important things you can do to ensure this is to schedule an AC tune-up, otherwise known as air conditioning maintenance. Delaying or skipping this service altogether will make it much more likely that you’ll be facing problems by the end of summer, or even before then. Read on as we uncover the biggest benefits of regular AC tune-ups.

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4 Signs You Need an Electrical Panel Upgrade

March 16th, 2020

electricians-working-on-electrical-panelAlso called the circuit breaker panel, the electrical panel of your home serves as the central hub for your entire electrical system. It’s where the incoming electricity is routed to the different circuits. The breakers are designed to shut off circuits in case of a voltage overload. If you have an aging circuit breaker panel, it’s wise to ensure you aren’t overdue for an upgrade, given the higher electrical demands we have all put on our homes in recent years.

But when is it actually time to upgrade? After all, modern circuit breakers can last a really long time—typically 25-40 years. We have provided 4 signs below that tell you it may be time.

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How to NOT Use Your Ceiling Fans

March 2nd, 2020

ceiling-fanCeiling fans don’t seem like that complicated of an appliance right? When you want your home to be cool, you turn your ceiling fans on, and that’s that, right?

Well, what many homeowners don’t realize about ceiling fans is that they actually do not “cool” the air in the room of which they’re running—that is, they do nothing to lower the temperature. Therefore, leaving your ceiling fans on in the home all day even if you aren’t home is exactly how not to use them.

So then, you might be wondering now, is there any point to using ceiling fans at all? Of course! However, there are optimal ways to utilize this appliance, and then wasteful ways to use it, too.

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Best Ways to Boost Heating Efficiency

February 17th, 2020

technician-working-on-maintaining-furnaceWith how much we use our heating systems during the winter, it’s no secret that homeowners would like to do everything they can to avoid costly utility bills. Sure, your energy bills are going to raise in the wintertime (as well as the summer time) as your HVAC systems take up about half of all your energy use. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t steps you can take to increase their efficiency and thereby lower the costs a bit.

There are actually a number of things you can do, some of which won’t cost you a dime. Maintaining heating efficiency is also a great way to keep repair needs at bay. Keep reading as we uncover some of the best tips and tricks to boost efficiency and save money!

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Choosing the Right Contractor for HVAC Repairs

February 3rd, 2020

two-technicians-working-on-hvac-systemIt’s the time of year where older heating systems start to struggle—after all they’ve been working hard all season. If yours wasn’t properly maintained, or even simply if it’s aged to the point that it’s having trouble keeping up with demand, it might be time for you to call for repairs.

But who should you call? Perhaps that handyman who lives down the street? Or maybe you can watch an online video and conduct HVAC repairs on your own!

We really don’t recommend either of these options. Not only could you wind up doing more harm than good to the system itself, but you could injure yourself or put your household in danger. We understand the urgency that comes with needing heating repairs in the middle of winter, but you’d do well to do your research and choose the right contractor for your HVAC repairs. What should you look for? Read on!

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Avoid This Ceiling Fan Mistake!

January 20th, 2020

ceiling-fan-on-grey-ceilingCeiling fans are often talked about this time of year—and we’ll get to why we’re talking about them now later in this post—but something that a lot of homeowners don’t really realize is that celing fans do not actually cool the air in the room where they’re running.

In the summertime, individuals often leave their ceiling fans on all day, only to find that the room they come home to isn’t any cooler than it was when they left. It may feel less stuffy than other parts of the home, but this feeling can be achieved within 5 minutes of turning on the fan, versus leaving it on all day long.

You may be wondering about a couple things by this point:

  1. Is there a point to using your ceiling fans?
  2. Really, why are we talking about this in the wintertime?

Bear with us! We’ll get there.

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