Home 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

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Electrical 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

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Preparing 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

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Is 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

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Home 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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Best Time For Electrical Updates?

Best Time For Electrical Updates? Are you thinking about making electrical updates? Money spent on home improvement is projected to increase over 7% in 2019 (according to Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard). This points to a trend that more people are investing in their homes and rental properties. So when is the best time of year to schedule your electrical update? For starters, it is best to begin a home project when you are financially prepared for it and no sooner. Homeowners either get into unwanted debt or end up with an unfinished project if they haven’t prepared for the investment. That being said, here are a few… Read More

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What Is Tripping My Breaker?

What is Tripping My Breaker? A tripping breaker is annoying. At random, homeowners end up without power in parts of their home and it begs the question, “why is this happening? ”  While this may be frustrating, keep in mind that your breaker’s safety mechanism is still operating! It is preventing your electrical system from overloading by shutting down the circuit completely. And that is a good thing. There are many reasons your breaker could be tripping. Briefly, we’ll mention 3 common reasons: #1- The breaker is bad. With your eyes only, look at your breaker box (because touching before looking could be bad!) and note any burning or visible… Read More

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How Can I Add More Lighting To A Room?

How Can I Add More Lighting To A Room? I come across many homeowners looking to add lighting in their homes.  They usually have no pre-existing fixture and are looking for good lighting options.  Insufficient lighting strains your eyes, and the right amount of light changes the feel of the whole room.  So without getting overly technical, I will explain some options. First things first, to add lighting we’d need to determine wiring access.  We do this by looking above the ceiling.  In most homes there is access above the ceiling and it is fairly inexpensive to do the job.  We could install new wiring and the fixture for the… Read More

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