Sunset Air Blog: Archive for the ‘Electrical’ Category

Signs That Your Home Needs an Electrical Panel Upgrade

Monday, June 15th, 2020
two-electricians-working-on-electrical-panel

The electrical panel, also called the circuit breaker panel, is responsible for keeping your home’s entire electrical system running smoothly and safely. You probably don’t think much about your electrical panel, unless you have to constantly reset breakers—which is one of the signs that your home needs an electrical panel upgrade, which we’ll cover below!

If you’ve lived in your home for a few decades and have never had an electrical inspection, then this blog post is for you. Older service panels require care and attention to ensure they’re not operating in a way that’s a threat to your home or your family’s safety. If you do discover you have an urgent electrical service need, we’re the team to call! But we’d like to help you avoid electrical problems altogether, and so we have these signs to share with you:

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Don’t Let This Electrical Problem Haunt You

Monday, October 21st, 2019

electrical-panel-being-worked-onYou’re sitting in your home, minding your own business—maybe reading or watching TV. Suddenly, your lights flicker. And we’re not just talking about one or two—we’re talking about the lights in a whole section of your home.

What’s going on? Is your house haunted?!

Probably not.

What’s likely going on in this scenario is that your electrical system is trying to tell you something—that it’s overwhelmed. This is a common sign of an outdated electrical panel. Homeowners in our area often don’t think about this, but we’ve been steadily increasing the demand on our electrical systems with the addition of high-efficiency appliances, computer systems, and rechargeable devices over the last couple of decades. If your home is older than this, it’s likely you need an upgrade!

An outdated electrical panel can lead to a number of problems, with some of those problems being potentially unsafe. In addition to flickering lights, you should watch for:

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How’s Your Electrical System Holding Up?

Monday, July 1st, 2019

Side view of male technician examining fusebox with multimeter probeOf all the various problems that can negatively impact your home, electrical problems are among the most dangerous. After all, an air conditioner malfunction can leave you feeling uncomfortable for a while, a plumbing problem can cause damage to a room or two, but an electrical problem can cause electrocution or even fire.

We don’t say this for the shock value, but rather to stress how important it is that you have a professional electrician check the wiring of your home at least once every few years. Otherwise, you’re increasing the risk that a problem will occur.

Maintenance will certainly help defend your home and electrical system from harm, but it’s important to be aware of signs of an electrical problem no matter what. This will help you know when to take action so you don’t run into any future problems.

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The Importance of Professional Electrical Services

Monday, April 8th, 2019

plug-in-outletThere are a number of projects within your home that can be “do-it-yourself” (DIY) projects, but some typically require the assistance of a trained and experienced professional—such as electrical work.

Finding trustworthy and affordable electricians can be a challenge, but you want to ensure that you’re going with someone who not only has your home’s energy demands in mind, but your safety as well. Choosing a general handyman or an overenthusiastic neighbor might cost less upfront, but in the long run it could wind up costing you more in repairs. Additionally, you could find yourself facing injury and property damage.

Keep reading to learn some of our reasoning behind why it’s so important to only choose a professional electrician for whatever electrical service you need done.

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Don’t Ignore Those Flickering Lights—Here’s Why

Monday, February 11th, 2019

brick-wall-with-recessed-lighting-shining-on-itPerhaps flickering lights in your home is so commonplace that you’ve simply figured it’s “just something that happens.” This may especially be the case if you live in an older home. However, this shouldn’t be acceptable! In fact, you could be putting your home and its occupants in danger. Electrical issues that cause flickering lights can be serious. Electrical fires account for hundreds of injuries each year, through no fault of the homeowner, but are almost entirely preventable.

So what if it’s just a single bulb or light fixture that’s flickering? Then you probably only need to switch that one out. However, if you find that multiple lights are flickering in a room or throughout your living space, the cause is very likely an outdated electrical system with either frayed wiring or too much demand being placed on it. It’s worth noting here that flickering lights certainly are not the only sign of electrical trouble! There are a number of other indicators to watch out for that it’s time to upgrade your electrical system, which we’ve gotten into below.

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Why You Should Label Your Circuit Breakers

Monday, January 14th, 2019

two electricians working with an electrical panelWhether you own a home or are renting a room, we think it’s important you at least understand the basics of the electrical system in your home, in order to know what to do when something goes wrong. One component of your electrical system that is particularly important is the electrical panel—also referred to as the circuit breaker box. This is responsible for dividing up the electrical power in your living space into circuits.

Perhaps you’ve moved into a home in the past where the electrical panel or fuse box was already labeled, so you could easily find which switch led to which outlet or appliance. But your current living space may not have come with this useful guide. So what can you do? Create one yourself! This is actually not a very difficult task—though you will want a housemate or a friend to help.

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Is It Time for a New Electrical Service Panel?

Monday, December 3rd, 2018

Side view of male technician examining fusebox with multimeter probeThe panel of your Puyallup, WA electrical system, also known as the circuit breaker panel, is the hub of all your electrical wiring, appliances, and equipment. It is the location where incoming electricity is routed to the different circuits—each of which are designed to shut off in case of a voltage overload. If your electrical panel is more than a couple decades old, it’s time to make sure you aren’t overdue for an upgrade.

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Electrical Issues You Need to Be Careful Of

Monday, November 19th, 2018

electrical blueprints of homeOf all the various issues that can impact different areas of your home, electrical issues are among the most dangerous. Sure, a plumbing problem can inflict water damage, and an HVAC malfunction can leave you uncomfortable for a day or to, but an electrical malfunction can cause electrocution or even a house fire. It’s essential that you check the wiring in your home at least once every few years. Or rather, have a professional electrician in Union, WA check it! Otherwise, you’re increasing the risk that problem will occur.

Even with routine check-ups and electrical maintenance, however, there’s still a risk that an electrical problem can happen. You should be familiar with some of the signs of an electrical issue so you can contact our pros right away. The following are a few possible indicators.

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Common Electrical Problems and Their Causes

Monday, September 24th, 2018

electrical-repairsElectrical issues tend not to happen too often, thankfully. When they do, however, they have the potential to be devastating. Electrocution, house fires, and other horrible consequences are all possible in cases where electrical issues are allowed to progress far enough. Having a licensed professional check out your electrical system at least once a year is a great way to ensure that it stays in good, safe condition.

This is no guarantee that the electrical system will avoid issues, though. You still need to keep an eye out for signs the system is experiencing some kind of problem so that you can call for repairs as soon as possible. The following are just a few of the common symptoms that indicate your electrical system is experiencing problems. If you are looking for a top electrician in Lacey, WA to handle repairs, we’re here for you.

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Keep Your Electrical System Healthy with These Tips

Monday, August 27th, 2018

electrical-repairsNobody wants to deal with electrical issues. Well, electricians hopefully do. It’s kind of our job, after all. What we mean when we say that, however, is that nobody wants electrical problems in their own home. You can’t really guarantee that your electrical system will never develop problems. Just because you can’t guarantee it, however, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take steps to reduce the possibility of issues occurring. There are a number of different steps you can take to make sure that your electrical system remains as healthy as possible. Read on to find out more.

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