When encountering an electrical problem in your home, shop, garage, etc. would you rather call an electrician to come fix it or would you save the money and do it yourself? Well a lot of people would much rather save the money and fix it themselves. There is a problem with fixing electrical problems by yourself, you may not know what you are doing, and therefore can cause a fire, electrocution, and several other dangerous results. So should you call a relative to fix the problem? The answer to that question is definitely not. When having a relative or close friend to fix your electrical problems, the whole liability issue is placed in their hands. So what that means, is, if something happens like a fire or electrocution, the person fixing the problem would be totally liable for the damages. So instead of leaving liability issues in the hands of you, a close friend, or relative, call a licensed, bonded, insured electrician to come fix the problem, that way everybody is safe and happy. Because the money you save fixing a problem yourself, could cost you much more down the road.
number of view: 17
Child safety is on the National Electrical Code, (NEC), priority list. The code is mandating the installation of tamper-resistant receptacles in all new residential construction. These are now made in standard receptacles, Decora receptacles and GFCI’s. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has studied and documented injuries caused each year by children attempting to insert objects into receptacles. The injuries ranged from electrical shocks to burns and fatalities. A home owner will be able to tell the difference when looking at Tamper-Resistant by the “TR” on the receptacle face.
number of view: 42
Three way switching is when you can turn on and off a light from two different locations. It is called by many a two way switch. The reason for calling it a three way is that it takes a third wire for this method of switching. There has to be power sent to one switch and the other has the switch leg to the light. The third wire becomes a traveler wire for power to go back and forth.
Normally when a home owner replaces switches they will end up with one of the wires in the incorrect location on the switch. This is turn does not allow the electrical to travel properly back and forth and the light will only come on at one switch, and not the other. The common terminal on the one switch has to have the power and the other has to have the light switch leg.
number of view: 14
Changing a light bulb out in a light socket can raise the blood pressure for some. The light bulb has been in the light socket for so long that it does not want to budge for removal. A little secret in what is use, a jar opener gripper. Work the bulb back and forth and you will be able to remove the light bulb from the light socket. Make sure the light bulb not hot first.
If the light bulb is broken and the screw shell is still in the light socket, a few things should take place before removing it. Make sure the power is off at the panel or fuse box before working on. Use a power glow stick or meter to insure power is off. Wear some safety glasses as more glass may break of while you’re working to remove it from the light socket. A piece of wood that is the size of the screw shell opening and the light socket can be a great tool. Placing the wood inside of the light socket and to one side, with a little pressure, normally allows you to spin the screw shell out.
number of view: 26
The electrical code changes every three years. Sometimes these changes are not very friendly for costs to consumers and contractors, but are done for the safety of all. If you have not had an electrician in your home for some time there may be things in the past that may pose a potential safety hazard to you and your family. In most cases it is not what they did but rather what they did not do. For examples many homes lack GFCI protection, Proper Grounding and Smoke Detectors. Today’s codes have many safety benefits for personal protection against electrical shock and fires. A good electrical contractor and their electricians can review your home for past wiring work, and give you a break down to what code changes would be correct for you to have today. Even if you install the items yourself just know what to get done is a great start.
number of view: 30
Electricians are easy to come by currently. Work is slow and a lot of them are laid off waiting for something to happen. As a result of no work, side jobs are happening left and right. Permits are not being purchased for work that should normally be permitted. When this happens the home owner is in a buyer beware market. The home owner is taking a big risk when permits are not purchased. The electrician is risking their livelihood to do the side work. Electrical inspectors have a lot more time on their hands and are doing random stops at home owner’s houses when seeing a work truck or van. At that point citations and fines may be given. Not a good situation for anyone. The electrician can lose their license. Your safety and home is at risk.
When you have electrical issues in your home don’t turn a blind eye to it. You may end up with bigger problems later. Call an electrical contractor for electrical work in your home. They have the license, bond and insurance to protect both parties for work being done. The proper permits will be purchased and work reviewed/ inspected.
number of view: 11
You may be exceeding the maximum lamp wattage of the fixture. There should be a label inside the fixture that will tell you the maximum wattage permitted. If not then the rule of thumb is not to exceed a 60 watt lamp. The standard lamp in most fixtures today has become 60 watts or less. Many times vibration is the culprit in short lamp life. There are vibration resistant lamps for ceiling fans and garage door openers. Rough service lamps can be used for portable lights. Sometimes a porch light can have a shortened life due to a slamming door. A rough service lamp would do well in such a location. Sometimes there may be more than 120 volts being brought into the light socket. You can purchase a 130 volt light bulb to take care of this problem. Don’t Delay, Call Today 1-360-883-FUSE (3873)
number of view: 26
Tags: 1-360-883-FUSE (3873), 120v, 130v, ceiling fans, garage door openers, lamp, lamps, rough service lamps, vibration, watt, wattage
Electric Repairs, Home Remodeling | AbsoluteElectric February 23, 2009 | 
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Replacing copper wire, in the 1970’s, aluminum wiring became widely popular and frequently used. But during the past 30 years or so has been implicated in numerous house fires, and most of the modern jurisdictions won’t let or permit you to use aluminum wiring. Even if you are allowed to do so, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for new wiring. Although your house may be aluminum wiring, you don’t need to worry as much, due to the fact that aluminum wiring (when installed correctly) is just as safe as copper wiring. But it’s better to be safe than sorry and get your wiring checked because it is very unforgiving of improper installation.
The major problem with aluminum wiring is the fact that it expands and contracts when heated or cooled. Each time it contracts or expands the wiring loses a bit of its tightness. Also, when the aluminum oxidizes or corrodes when in contact with specific metals, the resistance of the connection increases. The oxidizing can cause the wire to heat up, burn or melt the insulation potentially starting a fire.
Upon moving into a home that was built in the ‘70s, you will most likely find your house is wired with aluminum wiring. Immediately call a licensed, bonded, insured electrician to come out and give an inspection of the wiring to be sure there is no risk of fire or harm. This is just a safe precaution to take when purchasing an older home.
number of view: 14
With more people spending vacations closer to home, and having more get togethers at the house instead of going somewhere, due to the economy’s current stage, why not update your home? Having more get togethers at the house is a good reason to update, some suggestions of electrical updates that you can have installed are dimmer light switches, motion sensor lights, new smoke detectors, install wall speakers, led lights, etc. There are several types of dimmer light switches; there are different looks and styles. These will add a nice touch to a bedroom or living room. Motion sensor lights come in handy in many rooms, the garage, pantry, laundry room. These will save you money and are very nice to have. Updating your smoke detectors is a very good idea. Adding led lights and wall speakers can add a nice touch to any room, the led lights will be a brighter light but also look a lot cooler. So there are a lot of different electrical advancements you can install to add a nice elegant look to the inside of your home. So act on this today and call a licensed, bonded, insured electrician to come out and install these features.
number of view: 5
In the average home, there are quite a few common electrical problems. Some of the most frequent electrical problems are electrical wires being installed improperly. Some of the results from this problem are inadequate electrical overload protection. Another problem is electrical appliances will stop working. One big cause of this is a blown fuse in the plug. Power outages are a big problem in the common home; these can be fixed by a few ways. So the next time you have a licensed, bonded, insured electrician over, have them do a rough inspection on your appliances and plug in outlets, gfi’s, smoke detectors, panel, and any other electrical issue you would like looked at. This can prevent future issues in your home and save you a lot of hassle, money and time.
number of view: 6