When thinking about an electrical system that has been in place in your home since it was built, the first thing that comes to mind is, why is this happening now? What changed between when the builder put the electrical system in place, and now?

There are other things in life, like our vehicles, which the concept of use and life cycle are easier to understand. You get your oil changed every 3,000 miles. You put gas in your car weekly to keep it fueled up to be able to operate. You check the air in your tires. You change the wiper blades. These things are very apparent to maintain because most of us drive our vehicles every day. We understand that over the course of time, with owning a vehicle that maintenance issues will come up. Things wear out over time during the duration of their life cycles.

When thinking about electrical systems in your home, it’s not as easily understood. The average person does not know OHMs law, nor understand the effects that take place when OHMs law is in place, in say… a loose connection in your electrical system.

Homeowners wonder, if this was installed when my home was built, what is causing it to malfunction now? There are 4 reasons for electrical hazards to pop up over the course of a life cycle of a home, and what precipitates the call to an electrician to fix the problem.

1. Workmanship. Unfortunately, the number one reason electrical components malfunction over time, is because the person who installed it originally might have made a mistake. Maybe they did not torque the screw down to specifications. Maybe the breaker wasn’t sized properly for the load. Maybe the wire was undersized. Maybe they ran one circuit where the demand should have called for multiple circuits. The bottom line is that the workmanship of the installer, could have compromised the installation from the beginning. And over time, through improperly installed electrical work, problems show themselves because of electricity flowing through.

2. Corrosion/Water intrusion. A common problem that is completely bizarre to homeowners is water, literally spilling out of your electrical panel. People call in astonishment that water has infiltrated their electrical panel. And rightfully so. Water and electricity don’t mix. How the water gets in? It travels along the Service Entrance cable, that is coming from the meter on the outside of the house. Herein, the workmanship discussed in number one, has a major role. How did the installer drill the hole? Did he caulk the opening? Is the cable’s protective jacket cracked, and letting water in? This is actually a very common problem. Once the water is gone however, the damage left behind from corrosion, still persists, it will continue to worsen.

3. Load. Today’s homes have more loads being pulled through them then ever before. Poor workmanship, plus corrosion on an aging electrical systems, will lead to more problems.

4. Wear and Tear. Your kid unplugging the vacuum cleaner from around the corner? Not good, over time it will disturb the wiring and screws on the inside of the box and device. How many times have you flipped that switch that’s not working right? How often do you think the jiggling of a switch can take before it becomes bad? Before it loosen connections in the box the switch is in or on the screws? The wear and tear on these things adds up to problems.

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Source: http://cooper-electric.net/how-electrical-things-go-wrong/

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Have you ever heard the saying ‘a change is as good as a holiday’? There is plenty of truth to this statement; take, for example, changing the ceiling lights in your bathroom – this small act alone could make it feel like a whole new space. There is more to this decision, however, than just walking into a showroom, pointing at a fixture you like and saying ‘that one’. Use this guide to ensure that you are making the right choices for your bathroom in regards to San Gabriel Valley lighting.

Our bathrooms need to be functional above everything else, and the ceiling lights that you ultimately choose for your space will help to determine with this is the case. There is no point in installing a fixture that looks stunning if it prevents you from completing all of the tasks that you would normally undertake in the space, such as shaving and applying make up. This is not to say, however, that homeowners should forget about the aesthetics of their lighting fixtures – instead, it is about finding a balance.

One way to achieve this is by choosing ceiling fixtures that you can easily adjust in both direction and levels of illumination.

• Illumination: the best way to control the level of illumination in your bathroom is by installing dimmer switchers in conjunction with your ceiling lights. You could also opt for the traditional fixture that includes both heat and normal lights. Whilst this only gives you the choice of two levels of brightness, it may be sufficient for your needs.
• Direction: the best way to control the direction of lighting in your bathroom is by installing ceiling lights that are mounted into moveable supports. Halogen and LED lights are often mounted in this way, and their fixtures allow you to point the lights in the direction that you need the most illumination (such as over the vanity or the shower stall).

Thankfully, there is plenty of aesthetically pleasing ceiling lights out there that also achieves adequate illumination that can be dimmed or brightened and directed to a certain area. Recessed lights and downlights sit flush with the ceiling and appear as if they’re not even there during the day, whilst a chandelier will make a luxurious and elegant statement. If going for a ‘wow-factor’ fixture, such as a pendant or chandelier, it is recommended that you do the rest of your bathroom as minimalist as possible to avoid overpowering the space.

Source: http://www.accurateelectricalservices.com/CA-Electrician/lighting/guide-choosing-ceiling-lights-bathroom

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Safety Tips:

• Always have a qualified, licensed professional install water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer instructions. (They will ensure that electrically the circuit is sized at 80% of the calculated load allowed on the circuit.)
• Install Carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area.
• Have your furnace cleaned and inspected annually by a licensed, qualified professional. (Consider that your furnace houses and starts a controlled fire every hour in your home, and properly maintaining the equipment should be a priority.)
• Be sure circuit breakers and fuses are correctly labeled with their amperage and the rooms, circuits, or outlets they serve. (Consider having an electrician inspect that the circuits are not overloaded.)
• Consider having a qualified, licensed electrician replace your standard circuit breakers with combination-type arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI’s).
• Make sure ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI’s) are installed in your kitchen, bathrooms, workshops, basement, garage, outdoors, and any other areas where water and electricity are likely to come in contact.
• Examine electrical outlets and missing or broken wall plates to ensure that wiring and components are not exposed.
• Check extension cords for good condition, inspect for frayed wires and cracked insulation. (Replace cords that are badly damaged or consider shortening the cord with a replacement male/female plug. Always follow instructions.)

Cooper Electric provides CurrentSAFE, an electrical hazard detection service your your home. Contact us TODAY, for a free in home assessment.

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Source: http://cooper-electric.net/currentsafe-safety-tips/

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Carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal as it suffocates a person without warning, being tasteless, odorless and oxygen-depleting. Find out the specifics on carbon monoxide and how to keep from becoming a victim in this informative article.

I’ve been asked by people if we really need a carbon monoxide detector in our home? I often wonder why everyone doesn’t have at least one in their home. After all, it is much like a smoke detector that gives you warning as the fatal inncodent is taking place, giving you ample time to get out of harm’s way. So what is carbon monoxide and why should it worry me?

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Source: http://electrical.about.com/b/2013/02/26/2443.htm

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Happy Holidays from Southern Coast Electricians in Boca Raton, Florida

Happy Thanksgiving to all our clients.  Give thanks for all that you have and cherish what really maters in life to you.  Have a safe holiday vacation and enjoy time with your family. Its not what we say about our blessings , but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving . If your family is far away don’t forget to send Happy Thanksgiving greetings card, they will surely be thankful. Remember not to eat a big breakfast in order to save room for the turkey and sweet potato pies. We thank you for your business and are very happy that you are our loyal clients. Make sure to visit our Broward and West Palm Beach Electricians Blog.

Source: http://www.sflaelectrician.com/happy-thanksgiving/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=happy-thanksgiving

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GFCI receptacles (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) are typically found in homes built or remodeled after 1978 and can most often found in the bathroom, garage or exterior outlets. One GFCI may control multiple outlets. It is not uncommon, especially in homes built before 1997, to find the GFCI in the bathroom or garage controlling the […]

Source: http://blog.atselectricinc.com/2012/08/check-your-gfci-10/

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We all have a mountain of electrical appliances around the house and may, if not all, of them have some sort of motor running them. These may include furnaces, dishwashers, sump pump, garbage disposal, and microwaves.

So how is one to know what sized circuit to put each of these items on? You see, the circuits are protected by either circuit breakers or fuses that limit the amount of amperage allowed to flow through that circuit. They watch over the circuit’s power draw like a watchdog. But still, how do we determine the right size for these circuit breakers and fuses?

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Source: http://electrical.about.com/b/2013/03/30/how-the-use-of-ohms-law-helps-determine-safe-capacity.htm

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If you are installing a new device, you want a licensed electrical contractor in Miami to hang it or do the wiring. If you try and do it yourself, the device may become unstable and possibly fall over and break into a million little pieces.

Even worse, you run the risk of messing up the job of the wiring. A bad wiring job can lead to fires that burn down your building or home and put the lives of countless others in immediate danger. Is it really worth trying to save a few bucks by wasting your whole day doing a job that might eventually cost you a lot more. Besides the obvious risk of human life, a fire can destroy many things like photos, clothes and sentimental items that can not be replaced.

Also, if you go the cheap route, the electrician in Miami may not even have insurance or be licensed.  You might even think that you did the right thing by hiring a professional, but they could very well be some fly by night con artist company that has no idea what they are doing and are not concerned with the your safety. They will give you the lowest price just to get a quick buck. Many companies operate like this because they shut down and just change names.  We have been in business for a long time and not going anywhere! You can check our status at the better business bureau and see that we have an A rating.

We highly suggest that you subscribe to our FL electrician blog and visit our website for more information on: Miami Electricians and South Florida Electrical Contractors.

Source: http://www.sflaelectrician.com/an-electrician-in-miami-can-install-a-flat-screen-fan-or-smoke-detector/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-electrician-in-miami-can-install-a-flat-screen-fan-or-smoke-detector

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We believe the future of clean transportation lies with electric vehicles. Here’s an example of a charging station we recently installed.  

Source: http://www.enlighten-electric.com/2012/03/ev-charging-stations/

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There have been many articles in electrical trade magazines lately that have discussed the future inevitable ban of the old standard incandescent light bulb. California usually leads the nation in energy conservation trends and discussions there are leaning towards an all out ban by 2012. Many of you are probably using fluorescent replacement lamps in […]

Source: http://blog.atselectricinc.com/2012/08/the-end-of-incandescent-light-bulbs-8/

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