What to Pay Attention to When Hiring an Electrician

Enlisting the services of a good electrician can become one of the most vital necessities you’ll have for your home. Electricians are essential in making sure that all your electrical systems are in proper working order and in tip-top shape to avoid unwanted disasters such as fires. It is never advisable that you perform fixes on your own especially if you are not sure of what you’re doing.

There are usually two types of electricians: one with a Journeyman license and one with a Master Electrician license. Both of these electricians are licensed and certified and can do a good job. Although while a Master can do everything from planning to implementation, a Journeyman can perform the same duties except designing an electrical system.

At the start of your search for the perfect electrician, you can ask people you know for their recommendations. Ask them what their experience was with those that they hired. There’s a good chance that you can find your ideal technician or company this way. Asking for referrals is actually pretty important when hiring a professional. After all, it’s always best to have firsthand testimonials from people you trust or those who have already experienced working with the professional in question.

Whatever the size of your project may be, you will want to contact and ask for quotes from at least three electricians or companies. More quotes, the better. When you inquire for a quote, make sure that you lay out all the details of your project and pay attention to how they answer your questions. Do they seem like they know what they’re talking about? Are they pleasant? Do you feel comfortable with them? When you’re comparing quotes, always take every aspect of the job into consideration. Meaning, you need to factor in travel, labor, and material cost when you’re looking at the price quotes you have. Don’t just choose the cheapest one because chances are, that contractor is not going to do your project justice.

Also, make sure that your electrician is licensed and that their license is indeed real. Not only is this important in assuring you that the technician you’re looking to hire is qualified, in the event that something goes wrong after they did the job, you might be able claim insurance. It’s also important to take note of what they’re good at and if your project falls under their expertise.

Signs That Your Home or Workplace is Affected by Faulty Wires and Circuits

Several potential electrical hazards remain unnoticed because most of the wiring of a house are hidden behind walls and ceilings. However there are particular visible warning signals that something is not right and knowing how to recognize them will give homeowners a safety edge.

It’s quite normal to go without having to replace a blown fuse or reset a tripped breaker. It could have maybe just be overloaded if you’ve got an electrical circuit that regularly trips. An overload occurs when its secure maximum limitation is exceeded by the energy load on a circuit. There can be a shorting somewhere along the wiring on a device plugged into the circuit. An electrician will need to conduct a review to uncover the wiring hazards hiding in your home.

Flickering or dimming lights are another sign of faulty wiring or circuit breaker. Fixture wiring can cause flickering lights if it affects just one fitting on the circuit. This can also be due to a malfunction or a switch error. In older houses using old breaker boxes that are incapable of providing sufficient power, the breaker can get overtaxed and will need to be immediately replaced with a modern one. Overloads, which can cause an electrical fire and can heat the cables, can be avoided by using a larger breaker without tripping. Standard electrical circuits should be 15 amperes and utilize a 15-amp breaker. Although the conventional 15 amps are used by the rest of the rooms 20-ampere circuits are commonly utilized in kitchens, garages, or wherever the use of electricity is the heavy. It is best to consult with your electrician when you experience an overloading issue.

Another common sign your property is suffering from an electrical issue is when your sockets start getting hot to touch. Normally, when you touch your plugs after pulling them out of a socket, they shouldn’t feel hot. However, if you feel that they are, and that the socket itself is feeling hot too, then you might have a wiring issue in your hands. You will want to get this checked right away because if this issue is prolonged, the higher the chances for a fire.

It is crucial that you keep these signs in mind and keep stock of your surroundings any time you feel something isn’t right. Being alert to potential electrical issues can help you greatly in keeping your property safe. If you don’t have the know-how about troubleshooting faulty electrical systems, or you just refuse to tackle the problem all on your own, then make certain that you have a reliable and trustworthy electrician you can call for.

Here are Some Great Tips on Going Green through Conserving Energy

Light Bulb

More and more people around the world are becoming more concerned about the condition of the Earth and how they can help. There are numerous things you can do in order to contribute, but to begin one doesn’t need to go far. You can help out by starting with your home and changing your energy spending habits. This article lists out a few things that you can do starting today.

1. Becoming more aware.

Most people may not realize how fast the small things can stack up in regards to energy consumption. For example, leaving the light on for the entire day or forgetting to close your refrigerator’s door. Occurrences like these could seem inconsequential. If it only happens once in a while, then, sure. But if you do these on a daily basis, the power used would undoubtedly add up to a pretty sizeable amount.

2. Unplug appliances when not in use.

You may not know this, but appliances still actually use electricity even when they are turned off. Make sure to not only turn off your devices but also unplug them. This is also great not only for saving energy, but is also precautionary in relation to electrical mishaps.

3. Use energy-efficient lights.

If you’re serious about cutting your electric usage, then switching to LEDs is a great idea. They are much more efficient than incandescent lights since they can last more than five times longer at more than half the energy consumption.

4. Reduce the amount of water you use.

Take shorter showers, invest in low-flow showerheads and faucets, and wash your clothes in cool water instead of hot.

5. Switch off unnecessary lights.

Take advantage of natural sources of light in your home such as sunlight. If it’s a nice day out, you might opt to go outside and make use of the sunlight to get your daily dose of vitamin D and do some reading or work.

6. Let air in.

If the weather is good, you might want to open your doors and windows instead of using your air conditioner or fan.

7. Buy an energy saver.

Energy savers are handy and very useful in helping reduce your energy use. They work by adjusting your energy consumption to match the power being used by your appliances.

These are only a few of the changes you can make to start helping the planet. As with anything, before undergoing any major renovations, improvements, or installations, always consult with a professional like your electrician if you’re not sure what to do.

Got an Emergency? Take These Pre-emptive Measures before Calling an Electrician

On the off chance something breaks in your house or electrical issues pop up, there are some things you can do first before deciding to call an electrician. Now and again, you may find that the issue is a straightforward one that you can distinguish and fix on your own. Sometimes, you may even find that there’s nothing wrong with your electrical system but that instead an appliance might be the culprit. If you’re up for it, you can try the following if you think you can handle the situation yourself.

Faulty appliances

Once in a while an appliance gets wonky or simply has run the course of its life (in which case you’d be better off replacing it). If you have determined that indeed, there is something wrong with your device, it would be smart to pay the manufacturer or the store you purchased it from a visit. Chances are, you might be able to get a replacement for the defective item if the issue with it is genuinely problematic and deemed unfixable. Or in some cases, if you’re not particularly technologically-inclined, you may just have had some oversight and failed to operate the appliance correctly.

Ask for advice from someone knowledgeable

You might have a friend or relative who knows how to deal with electrical issues. There’s bound to be someone around you who has at least a basic know-how when it comes to common or easy electrical problems. If you find that someone, you can ask them for advice or better yet whether they would assist you with basic electrical fixes.

Try your hand at repairing

If you happen to have had some electrical training or knowledge yourself, then you can try to do the fix yourself. It would help you save some cash from having to hire a technician. Basic troubleshooting should be within your range of abilities as homeowner after all.

Call for professional help

Whatever the case may be, the rule of thumb is always to call for a professional electrician if you’re not confident that you can resolve the electrical issue on your own. It’s much safer for everyone and everything involved. It is likewise important to recall that there might be manufacture codes and guidelines set up that require certain fixes to be done by an authorized electrician. It’s important to note too that some your insurance policy might not accept claims that resulted from your clumsy electrical work. Always take all factor into consideration regardless of what you choose to do. If you need to call for the services of a professional electrician then do so.

Find the Right Electrician for Your Needs in Three Steps

It’s important to find a competent and honest person to hire or work with especially when it comes to something as sensitive as electrical work. Whether your project is a big or small one, the quality of electrician you hire is tantamount. You should never settle for anything less than the perfect person for the job. After all, sloppy electrical work is dangerous and much more costly, not to mention annoying, in the long run.

A big challenge most people come across when they’re looking for an electrician is finding an honest one. Unfortunately, a lot of people have had bad experiences with getting swindled by the technicians they hired. This is why some homeowners would rather troubleshoot their electrical issues on their own which, as was mentioned before, not recommended unless the homeowner in question is actually knowledgeable about what they’re doing.

It can indeed be a challenge finding a trustworthy electrician but it is by no means impossible. It can be an easy process finding the right person for the job if you know what to look for.

Do your research

There are a lot of methods you can utilize to get to know who or what companies are available near you. The most obvious one is going on to the internet and looking up your area in review websites to see the electricians who are active in your town and what other people are saying about them. You can go to Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Angie’s List, or Home Advisor. Another way is asking those around you like your friends, family, and neighbors to know who they recommend.

Are they certified and qualified?

However, don’t hire someone somebody recommended to you because, according to your acquaintance and relatives, they’re nice or something like that. You have to make sure for yourself that the person you’re thinking of hiring actually has and OWNS their license and is fully insured. You may not know this, but there are actually some people out there who rents out licenses to non-certified electricians. Never just take anyone’s word for it, ask to see their documents first before deciding to work with them. You should also try asking them questions and paying attention to how they answer you. They should be able to explain to you in plain terms what they’re going to do. That’s one way to know that they actually know their craft.

Do NOT hire by the “best price” a.k.a. cheap

You may think “it’s a steal” finding someone willing to do work for less but more often than not, they would be the one stealing from you in the form of you paying for a bad work. You have to understand that when you’re paying for a service, the time it takes to complete the job, resources used, and the labor cost are all factored in the final quote. It’s never advisable to go for the cheapest one available. Always go for a reasonable price after taking everything into consideration.

Essential Steps to Take (And NOT to Take) When Hiring an Electrician

Are you planning to renovate your house? Or perhaps you have some issues you want checked out or resolved? If so, then you will definitely require the services of a professional electrician. That’s all well and good, you might think, but how do you hire an electrician? It seems like it should be an easy and simple affair but there are steps you must take to make sure that you are hiring a good electrician.

Assess their credentials

The very first thing you have to do is inquire whether the electrician is certified, meaning that he has a valid license. Also make sure that he is insured in case something goes wrong during or after the job. Ask to see their documents with your own eyes and never just trust their word.

Another thing you should do is look up reviews on them online such as on Better Business Bureau or from their previous customers. Ask their past customers if they think your electrician is honest, trustworthy, efficient, and outstanding at what they do.

Get multiple quotes

Multiple quotes would usually only be necessary for larger projects. If you’re only looking for some basic maintenance, installation, or a quick troubleshooting, then it wouldn’t be necessary for your technician to come around just to give you a free estimate on a minor job. Should you have to hire an electrician for a major project, you will want to evaluate exactly what the job will demand. Usually, a good contractor will attempt to supply you with a fantastic deal the first time that they service you in order to make you a repeat client.

Reliable electricians don’t cut corners

If your electrician is indeed worth their weight in gold, then they will never cut corners in their job or do careless work.  They may, however, be mindful of your budget and do their best work within it. A reliable electrician will always utilize up-to-date materials and tools on each and every job.

Get it in writing

When you’ve finally decided you want to call for an electrician and the quote is in, make sure you receive it in writing however big or small the task is. Your quote should be detailed and include the exact date and time for the job’s entire duration. Don’t enable the expense of the job to be the determining factor when you seek the services of a specific contractor or not.

Do You Want to Become an Electrician? Here’s How to Find the Right Program for You

contractorElectricians have been in high demand especially in recent years. If you are considering a career change or perhaps you’re a young person who wants to become an electrician, you would need to become certified before you can be qualified to take on jobs.

The main purpose of an Electrician’s job is to deal with all the aspects of electrical work whether in residential or commercial settings. Their role includes following installation blueprints, maintaining various electrical systems, and identifying and troubleshooting devices among others.

If any of the above appeal to you, then maybe this career is a good fit for you. There are many paths one may take to become an Electrician. Read on to find out which options are available to you.

Apprenticeships

The general route taken to becoming a certified Electrician is obviously through going to school. You will need, at the very least, a high school diploma or equivalent GED. After that, you can continue on to an accredited Electrician Program which you can get either through vocational school or college. It takes about four years before you can get your license through this route. However, there is another way you can become licensed if you would rather jump right in instead of spending all those years studying, and that is through apprenticeships.

You can start out as an Electrician Helper. This position will give you a lot of useful hands-on experience that you can use to further help your studies if you’re going to school or plan to get an apprenticeship. At the very least, being an Electrician Helper can give you some leverage in your resume.

The beauty of becoming an apprentice is that you get to earn money while gaining experience at the same time. One thing to know also is that there are States that will require you to have undergone an apprenticeship before you can be qualified for a license. You can apply for an apprenticeship in any of the following:

  • Association Building Contractors (ABC)
  • International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
  • Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC)

Getting Licensed

As was mentioned before, this route can take you four years to complete. However, going through formal advanced education will benefit you in the long run if you’re looking to work in major companies or perhaps even open your own business in the future. Getting a diploma in addition to having your license is definitely going to make you more qualified and give you more credibility. You can check your local colleges, vocational schools, or Universities to see if they offer any courses suitable for your needs.

Conclusion

The best route for you to take would be to first get licensed, and then get an apprenticeship. However, the route that will offer you the most balance in terms of opportunity and cost, would be cutting out school and going straight for an apprenticeship. Both routes are valid ways of becoming a certified Electrician. Consider your situation and available options and pick the best route for you. Good luck!