Storm Damage Storm damage occurs each year in the Kansas City metro. Hail, wind, ice…these are just a few of the elements which cause home power outages. Usually, residential service is restored as your power company works through the issue. But what is a homeowner to do when severe damage happens? Here are some thoughts to consider if you experience severe storm damage. What To Do When Storm Damage Occurs First, take action by contacting your power company. Your power company will send workers to access the results of the storm damage and will also setup temporary power for your home. In some cases, the power company will NOT setup… Read More
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Electrical Service Repair This service call was for residential electrical service repair. The homeowner’s utility pole broke which caused the power line to collapse. This resulted in the service being pulled from the house and left hanging off of it. We were ready to take care of this electrical hazard, and to restore service for our customer. We started by rebuilding the exterior service on the house and bringing it back up to standards. Next, we re-fed the meter with new wiring. Lastly, our team installed a new conduit riser and weather head. This brought the service job to completion. Our customer was very pleased with our work. The service met… Read More
Continue ReadingWhy Different Light Bulbs?
Why Different Light Bulbs? Why so many different light bulb types? You have probably noticed your local store carries many types of light bulbs. Each light bulb may appear similar, but there are definitely differences between the types of light bulbs you can buy. For this edition of our Plugged-In blog, we will describe a few types of light bulbs and highlight some of their features. Light Bulb Types Incandescent Light Bulb: This is the light bulb everyone usually thinks of because it is most common for homeowners. These bulbs emit light by heating the filament inside. According to the Department of Energy the incandescent bulb is the least efficient type… Read More
Continue ReadingDimmer Switches
Dimmer Switches Have you ever thought of the benefits of dimmer switches? Instead of a standard on/off light switch, a dimmer switch gives you lighting options for your room. For this month’s blog, we will mention a few benefits of having a dimmer switch as well as very important electrical considerations for it. Dimmer Switch Benefits A dimmer switch allows variable light settings for a room. So then, you have the option of lighting at full brightness, low brightness and everything in between. You will have the freedom to determine the lighting ambiance needed! Dimmed lights consume less energy which can save money on electric bills. Dimming your lights can increase… Read More
Continue ReadingUsing Power Strips
Using Power Strips Power strips are useful tools for this time of year. You may be using a power strip for several reasons. Today, we want to mention a few things about the appropriate use of power strips and some things you should try to avoid. First things first, not all power strips are UL listed. Which means, Underwriters Laboratories has not tested the product or has not determined if it meets specific provisions. We highly recommend using power strips that are UL listed because their quality has been tested. Overall, power strips with surge protectors are designed to protect your devices by ‘tripping’ (shutting off power) when excess electrical… Read More
Continue ReadingHome Exterior Electrical
Home Exterior Electrical Have you checked your home’s exterior electrical system recently? This is a good time of year to check the outside electrical of your home before the winter weather becomes a factor. If you haven’t looked at the exterior of your home, we suggest you take a look very soon. Here are a few things to review when it comes to home exterior electrical. Exterior Electrical Review Test GFCI outlets on the exterior of your house (if applicable). For specific instructions on how to test these outlets, checkout our previous blog on Home Electrical Routine Maintenance. If your exterior outlets are not GFCI, we recommend replacing the existing… Read More
Continue ReadingElectrical Considerations for Basement Finish
Electrical Considerations for Basement Finish Your basement offers useful space in your home. We meet customers using basement space in many unique ways. And however you decide to use your basement, one thing you’ll want to consider is your basement’s electrical needs. If your basement is unfinished, there are several ideas to consider in your basement finish plans. In this blog we will highlight some of them. Ideas for Basement Finish Plans Electrical for Smoke Detectors. Do not finish your basement without proper safety measures. Be sure to include electrical plans for smoke detector placement and installation. You would be surprised at how often this is overlooked. Electrical Sub Panel.… Read More
Continue ReadingPreparing Your House for Sale
Preparing Your House for Sale When preparing a house for sale, one of the top thing’s inspectors look at is the electrical system. The electrical system is one of the most important aspects on an inspection because it could make or break a home sale. In our experience, here are some of the most common things that pop-up on electrical inspections. Please note: these issues require a licensed electrician for addressing and fixing the problems. (Stay safe, we don’t want you to experience a home electrical incident) GFCI Outlets. A common electrical inspection issue is not having GFCI plugs near wet locations or water sources (i.e. kitchens, baths, garage, basement).… Read More
Continue ReadingIs Your Smoke Alarm Working?
Is Your Smoke Alarm Working? When was the last time you tested your smoke alarm? It is one of the smallest items in your home and is very important to maintain. The National Fire Protection Association mentions shocking statistics when it comes to fire safety and smoke alarms. Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms. More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present. The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. What Should A Homeowner Do To Maintain Their Smoke… Read More
Continue ReadingHome Electrical Routine Maintenance
Home Electrical Routine Maintenance Are you cleaning out areas of your home for Spring Cleaning? This is the time of year when most people are clearing out the clutter, tossing unnecessary items and rearranging home decor. With all of this attention on your home, now is the perfect time for routine maintenance of your electrical system! Here is a basic checklist for homeowners wanting to review their electrical system. Outlets: use a receptacle tester to make sure your electrical outlets are still grounded. If you do not have a receptacle tester, use a small electronic device such as a cell phone charger. You want to make sure each outlet has… Read More
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