Spring and summer are our busiest seasons! Want to score the best deal on home or commercial business electrical upgrades and repairs? Call in the winter! Less demand means a better deal for you. Of course, we try our hardest to deliver the best prices we can any time of the year! And we know that power outages or electrical issues don’t wait around for seasonal gaps!
Sometimes an electrician isn’t necessary! Another tip that will make our bosses get mad by turning away business but it’s true! It’s important to be cautious and thorough whenever performing household tasks. A quick example, and one that happens far more of than you’d think, is that the incorrect light build is being inserted into a socket. Make sure you check out the maximum wattage and don’t exceed that. Melting wires are a dead giveaway here. With the risk of a fire, you don’t want to risk your home, pets or families lives.
Another tip that could cost us our job is that of utilizing the test and reset buttons on a GFI or GFCI outlet. You’d be amazed at how many people don’t think to check this when an outlet isn’t working and to call an electrician over in busy season for an easy fix. These get reset all the time and a quick press of the button will get you back online and plugged in. Don’t be afraid, you don’t get electrocuted, that’s what the GFI is for!
Keep an eye open in your home for suspicious smells, markings or electrical behavior! This could be a major sign that there is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed immediately! Strange noises like popping sounds, feeling heat or a non-resettable breaker are other telltale signs of an issue. These are scenarios where you don’t want to try to solve them yourselves. It’s important to know where your main electrical shut off is to cut off electricity to your home when you’re feeling uncertain or suspect imminent danger is afoot. Solve the problems early! Don’t let them hang around and get worse! There is no time for procrastination when the most valuable things in your life are at stake!
If you are utilizing your DIY skills, always use a non-contact voltage tester to identify whether an electrical line is live or dead before working with it. Traditionally, different colored wires mean certain things but you can never be too sure! White isn’t always neutral and black isn’t always active. You can tell this for sure with the voltage tester. Every home is different, was built at different times, and operated on by different people. Better to be safe than sorry always!
Unplug items when not in use! They are using a steady stream of energy and electricity and raising your bills! You are bleeding out money that doesn’t need to be spent! What a waste! This goes for chargers for laptops and phones and any type of electrical device that has a standby mode. Just imagine what you can use the savings on to enjoy your life or upgrade your home.
Do you have rug rats or munchkins infesting your house! They are curious creatures, aren’t they? Protect them and protect your electrical system with tamper-proof and resistant receptacles. Keep forks, paper clips, and other dangerous metal conductors from triggering a tragic accident! It’s easy and worth it! Similarly, when installing or maintaining outdoor receptacles, make sure that you use rated covers, especially for areas deemed to be particularly wet or damp. If there’s a chance it could get wet, cover it up.
As always, if you have a question, don’t hesitate to ask! We have years of experience, training and on-the-job knowledge circulating around in our heads. We care about you, your family, your home and your well-being more than anything else. We will go out of our way to remedy your situation and provide you with peace of mind. Give us a call @ 720-515-0933 and we will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have.