Every home needs upkeep and maintenance, especially older ones. The electrical switches and outlets are often overlooked. Although any particular outlet may not be important, if it isn’t working it’s likely a sign of a larger problem. Switches usually aren’t replaced when they should be but rather as an afterthought when they stop working altogether. Even if an electric outlet or switch is still working, there are times when you should go ahead and have them replaced.

Modern Standards

In some instances the existing switches and outlets simply aren’t up to code for what is considered adequate and safe. Older outlets may not have a ground plug but only two holes. There are adaptors available for such a problem, but they really don’t provide a proper ground like your outlet should have. With a switch, if you have to jiggle it or flip it on and off a few times for it to work, it has a bad connection and isn’t safe.

Better Quality

Simply put, newer switches and plugs are better quality than old ones and continue to develop and become even better. As long as everything is working you may not need to go out of your way to start making replacements, but when you make remodels or more extensive repairs it’s a good idea to have your electrician go ahead and replace the switches and outlets for the area he’s working in.

Ugly

Sometimes old outlets get to the point that they show their age. They can develop deep stains that won’t come clean, or perhaps they’ve been painted over the years. Worse yet are chips, scratches and cracks in the outlet or switch. Although these things are typically nothing but an eyesore, they can be a dangerous fire hazard if the damage goes into the structural aspect of the unit.

Conveniences

1-by-4-foot,  LED light panels use Even-Glow® technology and diffused optical lenses to deliver smooth, flawless illumination without visible bulbs or hot spots. They can be recessed mounted or surface mounted to an existing ceiling junction box. The LED fixtures emit up to 4,600 lumens of natural white illumination for home lighting, kitchen lighting, living room lighting, office lighting, basement lighting, sign backlighting, hospital lighting, and more.

LEDs in the panel lights are designed to last five times longer than fluorescent tube light bulbs without the notorious hum or flicker they produce. Each LED panel light has a slim, white aluminum alloy frame and an internal 0-10-volt dimmable constant-current driver. Dimming can be achieved with a 0-10-volt switch or by using the light’s power-cycle feature to activate set brightness levels. The energy-efficient panel lights operate within a 100-277V AC range.

The home electrical system consists of various components that enable the safe delivery of energy to different sections and appliances in the household. Even though the system may appear complex, it is important for the homeowner to understand a few basics.

This would help you when things do not work or there is an emergency that requires turning off circuits or the entire installation. In addition, an understanding of the home electrical system will help the owner respond to questions from prospective buyers.

All the electrical circuits in the house originate from the main breaker panel. The panel is usually inside the house and near to the power entry point. However, the panel can also be far, and especially when in a multi-family structure.

The rating of the panel determines the number of circuits and power that the home electrical system can support. Some older homes have been using the 100 Amp service, smaller installations use a 60 Amp service while newer and larger houses are built with 200 amps to accommodate the increased number of electrical and electronic equipment commonly used in a modern household.

Different loads require the correct size of cables and breakers that can handle the current without heating up. For example, an air conditioner requires a 30 amp circuit while a kitchen may use two 20 amp circuits.

If there is a fault, such as a short circuit or overload, the breaker trips and cuts off the power to the affected circuit, hence preventing further damage that could lead to fire. Before resetting the breaker, you should first ask an electrician to check and rectify the problem.

A home electrical system consists of different individual circuits originating from the main breaker panel. The wires from the panel run to the rooms to supply the outlets, lights, and hand wired appliances. In most cases, several rooms may share the same circuits such that all the lights in the house are on one breaker, outlets on another breaker, etc.

Some dedicated circuits from the main breaker may go directly to the hard-wired appliances and nowhere else. Equipment such as the electric water heaters, furnaces, and air conditioners are usually installed on their own. Other hard-wired devices include the smoke alarms, which may also have battery backups so they will work even when there is a power outage or a fire interrupts the home electrical system.

Grounding is an essential protective feature that must be installed in all home electrical systems. It provides a path for the electrical current arising from faults that make the exposed metallic parts to become live and dangerous.

The ground connects all the exposed metallic parts to the earth mass through a third wire in the power cord to the equipment. This provides a low electrical resistance path for the current, hence, making the parts safe to the touch even in the event of a malfunction.

maintenance and repairs.

As a Richardson electrician, I am in the unique position of knowing how homeowners can save money on their power bill. In today’s economy, my customers expect that I will know how they can lower their power bill each month, and I am happy to share that information with them.

The benefits of having your Richardson electrician give you the inside scoop on moneysaving power alternatives extend well beyond the impact on your bank account. Electricians everywhere will agree that those very same things that you can do to save money on your electric bill can also help you take good care of your electrical system and even prevent costly and time-consuming repairs.

Your local electrician can help you create a plan of action to start saving on your bill, but you can also follow these simple tips to start doing what you can to lower your bill today.

1. The simplest thing you can do is turn it off if it’s not in use. That’s right! Being mindful of your power consumption while you’re trying to save money seems like a no-brainer, but many people overlook this very simple and very effective first step.Turn off the lights if you’re not in the room, turn off televisions and computers if they are not in use, and unplug small appliances that don’t get used often, like hair dryers or toaster ovens.

2. Install solar panels and/or wind turbines on your home to generate alternative sources of energy, ease strain on the power grid and lower your overall usage. Any top Richardson electrician will agree that using alternative energy sources can lower your electric bill to almost nothing while helping the environment.

3. Along the same lines, investing in an indoor generator can also help you become more independent when it comes to your power consumption and it can even help you turn your power bill into a power check from the power company, depending how much power you are able to generate and send back to the grid.

4. Schedule routine electrical maintenance once every one to two years, to check for any electrical problems, to make sure that fixtures are properly in place, and to check if any appliances are in need of repair or replacement. Call your Richardson electrician to schedule a visit to your home to inspect your electrical system.

5. Install a power conditioner to reduce wear and tear on the motors of your most power-hungry appliances and machinery at home, and to lower your power consumption as well.

As a top Richardson electrician working in North Texas for many years, I can tell you that there’s nothing more relieving than looking at your power bill and seeing the massive change in the numbers. Electric Man has been working for 27 years to ensure that their customers pay only what they have to, while helping customers cut down their bills. Learn more about Electric Man and our services by visiting our website, giving us a call at 972-792-7270, or connecting with us on any of our social sites!

To Tampa residents, power outages are nothing new. We’ve dealt with all kinds of crazy storms and annoying weather in our time here, and it can be quite flustering if you’re not sure how to handle things. But if you’re prepared and know what to do, an outage can become little more than brief annoyance. Find out what to do during an outage with the help of the experts at Hoffman Electrical!