Able Electric https://www.ableelec.com Able to do the job! Thu, 19 Jul 2018 03:44:50 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 Summer Electrical Upgrades https://www.ableelec.com/summer-electrical-upgrades/ https://www.ableelec.com/summer-electrical-upgrades/#respond Thu, 19 Jul 2018 03:38:26 +0000 https://www.ableelec.com/?p=1426 As the heat soars to above triple digits this summer, your electrical system experiences one of its heaviest loads of the year. Most of the time, we do not give it much thought unless something fails – like your A/C, then it becomes an emergency! The best time to think about your electrical system is not during an emergency or failure, but before that, when everything is working as it should. Look for opportunities to upgrade outdated systems or issues you may just be tolerating right now, or the temporary fix that has become a permanent, yet dangerous solution.

Here is a list of a few things you can look to upgrade this Summer while you enjoy that cool A/C indoors!

Surge Protectors:
Sometimes there are serious power spikes in the summer as the electric companies use mandatory brown or black out policies in an effort to conserve resources. While these usually are just an inconvenience, they could pose a threat to your electrical system as the power surges back on after an outage. Surge protectors can be installed to protect the entire home, or installed locally to protect valuable electronics such as computer or medical equipment that may be installed in the home.

Outlet Overload:
It’s summer, so if you have kids they are spending more time indoors and there may be a lot of friends coming over! Or you may be an empty nester and want to tackle more of those projects in the shop, so you’re going to use more power tools. Either way, we sometimes have the need to use outlet extenders or extension cords so a pack of teens can charge all their phones, or so we can plug in more appliances in the kitchen or home office. Pay attention to the loads these outlet expanders are putting on your home, and if this is a recurring issue, an electrician like Able Electric can help you upgrade those heavily used circuits or install more outlets in a safe, permanent manner.

Worn Electrical Cords:
This is something people rarely think about, They plug something in such as a lamp or appliance and then they forget about it…literally plug and play. But sometimes electrical cords get worn or damaged through years of movement, vacuuming, cleaning or even pet or rodent damage. Take the time this Summer to inspect every cord on every electrical item that is plugged into an outlet, especially antiques that may have outdated or original wiring! Look for signs of wear such as tears or cuts in the cord, look for breaks near the plug or appliance and look for signs that critters may be chewing or gnawing on the cords. If there are signs of damage, an electrician can repair those for you and they will be good as new!

Other Considerations:
There are many other upgrades you can do this summer to make your home safer and more energy efficient. Affordable upgrades such as replacing old incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient light bulbs or replacing old battery powered smoke detectors with installed wired smoke detectors. Able Electric can help you with all of these upgrades! Give us a call at 530-644-0977.

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Outdoor String Lights Can Add Beauty https://www.ableelec.com/outdoor-string-lights-can-add-beauty/ https://www.ableelec.com/outdoor-string-lights-can-add-beauty/#respond Mon, 25 Jun 2018 06:56:17 +0000 http://new.ableelec.com/?p=1341 It wasn’t that long ago when people started to use their outdoor Christmas string lights to illuminate their yard year round. In fact, string lighting has grown so fast in popularity that now there are all kinds of string lights to choose from and you don’t have to wait until the holiday season to find them; string lights are easily accessible on line or at hardware stores. A larger store like Home Depot or Lowes will have a greater selection, but the small stores have options too.

Studies show that outdoor lighting can actually deter crime because criminals can be seen. So simply adding lights can protect your home. If you have a home security video system in place, or you’re considering one, you’ll need to ensure you have proper lighting in place and string lights are a perfect solution since they are easy to install; all you need is an outlet and something to hang them off of. Often times string lights are strung around a patio roof, but they can also be run along a fence line, around a gazebo or even hung in the trees. Controls can even be put into place to allow the lights to come on at night when movement is detected.

There are other benefits to this lighting though as they provide an excellent way to beautify or add a creative flair to any yard. From rope lights, to vintage style bulbs and even lights with stars around the bulb are available. There’s even LED color changing bulbs!

Looking at product reviews, I would encourage a quick read of reviews for the product you’re considering, which I found several just on the Home Depot and Lowes websites. Though most reviews are positive, some of the specialty bulbs are difficult to find or expensive to replace. One review said it was actually cheaper to buy another new set of lights than replacing a single bulb! So specialty bulbs can create a bit of a hassle if you don’t do your research. Buying a more expensive set of string lights for one of the products I researched actually took care of finding a replacement bulb because it came with extra bulbs while the cheaper set did not.

Additionally, the resounding recommendation from product reviews is something we all know, but tend to forget when making a purchase… you get what you pay for. So don’t be afraid to spend a little extra on your lighting because you can still buy higher quality without breaking the bank. For most 24 foot strands, you’ll pay about $30-$60.

There are many more outdoor lighting ideas we would love to share with you, and Able Electric can design and install your entire outdoor living space lighting plan! Give us a call at 530-644-0977 to set up a consultation.

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