Electrical Tips and Questions
We proudly share some tips to help you get the most from your electrical experience. Feel free to call us to discuss any of the material below.
Each year many Americans are injured in and around their homes. Unsafe conditions such as overloaded circuits and damaged insulation as well as the misuse of extension cords and electrical products create fire hazards and may result in electrocutions.
Take a few minutes to look for and correct electrical safety hazards in your home. It does not take too long to check the insulation on a cord, move an appliance away from water, check for correct wattage light bulbs or install a GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter). Invest your time. It could prevent an electrical safety hazard and save lives.
Studies of residential electrical fires show that the majority of serious fires could have been prevented. The conditions that caused the fires probably would have been detected by an electrical inspection.
Most problems are not detected or corrected because most homes do not have inspections. In a number of cases investigated by CPSC, homes ranging from 40 to 100 years old had not been inspected since they were built.
A safety inspection should be performed by a qualified electrical or licensed electrical inspector. To insure the electrical safety of your home, your electrical inspection should be up-to-date and defects corrected.
There are no hard-and-fast rules about frequency of inspection but here are some suggestions: To determine when your electrical system was last inspected, examine the door and cover of your electrical panel(s). The panel should contain a label or tag with a date, a signature, or intials on it.
If there is more than one date, the most recent one should be the date of the last inspection. DO NOT remove the service-panel cover. This is a job for a qualified electrician.
Circuit Breaker Panel Potential Electrical Hazards and Their Symptoms
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Power Outages fuses need replacement or circuit breakers need resetting frequently
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Overrated Panel electrical panel contains fuses or circuit breakers rated at higher currents than the ampacity (current capacity) of their branch circuits, sometimes called "overamped" or "overfused"
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Dim/Flickering Lights dim or the size of your television picture LIGHTS shrink often
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Arcs or Sparks bright light flashes or showers of sparks anywhere in your electrical system
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Sizzles/Buzzes unusual sounds from the electrical system
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Overheating parts of your electrical system, such as switch plates, wall outlet covers, cords and plugs may be warm. These should never be hot-painful to touch, or discolored from heat
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Permanently using extensions to extend the home wiring system for a long period
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Installed instead of being used temporarily to connect some items
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Appliances with a cord too short to reach the wall outlet
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Loose Plugs attachment plugs that wobble or pull out of a wall outlet easily
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Damaged cut, broken or cracked insulation
If your last inspection was 40 or more years ago, inspection is overdue 10-40 years. Inspection is advisable, especially if substantial electrical loads (high-wattage appliances, lights and wall outlets or extension cords) have been added or if some of the warning signs discussed are present. Less than 10 years ago, inspection may not be needed, unless some of the warning signs described are present or temporary wiring has been added.
You may live in an area that is not served by state or local electrical inspectors, so that no inspection record will be found on your electrical panel. In that case, use the age of the house as a guide to the probable need for an inspection.
Appliance Power Budget
Circuits can only handle a specified total wattage of all the electrical products connected to that circuit. If too much wattage is plugged into a circuit, serious electrical problems can result. Here is a guide to knowing what a circuit can handle:
Find the nameplate on each appliance indicating its power (watts) rating. Add up the total watts for appliances that you may use at the same time on the same branch circuit.
Examples:
Hair Dryer 1400 watts
Iron 1000 watts
Portable Heater 1200 watts
Vacuum Cleaner 600 watts
Deep Fat Fryer 1300 watts
Portable Fan 150 watts
Most home lighting and wall outlet branch circuits may carry as much as 1500 watts (15 ampere branch); Some kitchen circuits, as much as 2000 watts (20 ampere)
Choosing an Electrical Contractor
Wiremasters obviously would like to be the contractor of choice. However, we want you to feel perfectly comfortable with your decision. So with that said, we are providing guidelines to ensure that you indeed select the right electrician for the job (us!)
Electrical repairs are an investment. You want to get the job done right the first time. Before you spend your money, spend time learning how to evaluate electrical contractors. All contractors are not alike, and NECA (National Electrical Contractors Association) recommends that you prequalify electrical contractors to get the job done right the first time. The following guidelines will help you select a professional:
- Check for a permanent place of business, telephone number, tax identification number and, where applicable, a business license.
- Don't hesitate to ask an electrical contractor for proof of insurance. In fact, insist on seeing copies of his liability coverage and workers' compensation certificates. (U.S. workers? compensation laws vary by state. Consult your state?s laws to determine workers? compensation insurance requirements.) Make sure the coverages are in effect through the duration of the job. Many homeowners have been dragged into litigation involving uninsured electrical contractors. Also, if a contractor is not properly insured, you may be liable for accidents that occur on your property.
- Check to see if the electrical contractor is properly licensed or bonded. Some states have specific licensing requirements, and others do not. Your state's Department of Professional Regulation or Licensing Board will have this information.
- Look for a company with a proven track record that offers client references and a list of completed projects. Call these clients to find out whether they were satisfied.
- Insist on a detailed, written proposal and examine it for complete descriptions of the work and specifications, including approximate starting and completion dates and payment procedures.
- Have the contractor list the electrical manufacturers with which his firm is a licensed or approved applicator. Most electrical systems require special application expertise to achieve lasting quality.
- Have the contractor explain his project supervision and quality-control procedures. Request the name of the person who will be in charge of your project, how many workers will be required and estimated completion time.
- Check to see if the contractor is a member of any regional or national industry associations, such as NECA. Being a member of industry associations demonstrates a commitment to professionalism.
- Call your local Better Business Bureau or Department of Professional Regulation to check for possible complaints filed against the contractor.
- Carefully read and understand any electrical warranties offered, and watch for provisions that would void it.
- Choose a company committed to worker safety and education. Ask the contractor what type of safety training he provides for his workers and what industry education programs they have attended. The best electrical contractor is only as good as the workers who install the electrical system.
- Keep a healthy skepticism about the lowest bid. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Many fly-by-night contractors' below-cost bids seem attractive, but these contractors often are uninsured and perform substandard work. Remember, price is only one of the criteria for selecting an electrical contractor. Professionalism, experience and quality workmanship also should weigh heavily in your decision.
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