ServiceMax Blog: Archive for the ‘Electrical’ Category

Signs You Need Electrical Panel Replacement

Monday, April 1st, 2024
close-up-of-circuit-breakers-on-an-electrical-panel

As the seasons rush by, we often focus on the most urgent needs of our home. We need our heating system to work well for the winter. We need our air conditioner to work well for the summer. And if there’s an emergency—say, something going dramatically wrong with the plumbing—we take care of that. But in the meantime, things can go wrong more quietly and subtly.

It’s easier to ignore minor problems. But then we can end up getting used to them, and not realizing that they’re gradually getting worse and worse. In order to avoid catastrophe, we need to keep paying attention to small problems, especially problems with our home electrical systems. Eventually, electrical panels need replacement. Failing to do that in time is a major fire hazard. How can you tell it’s time to replace your electrical panel?

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How Long Can I Expect My Electrical Panel to Last?

Monday, February 19th, 2024
close-up-view-of-a-residential-circuit-breaker-panel

Your electrical panel, or circuit breaker panel, is like a traffic cop ensuring that all the electrical traffic in your home is flowing correctly. It also performs the critical job of shutting down certain circuits or sections of your home’s electrical wiring when a problem occurs. This prevents major hazards like electrical fires.

An electrical panel can last quite a long time, but it won’t keep working properly forever, and when it stops doing that critical job, serious risks can result. How long do electrical panels last? What if you don’t know how old yours is? How can you tell if you need to replace it? Here’s what you need to know.

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Signs You’ve Got a Damaged Electrical Panel

Monday, April 17th, 2023
electrician-working-on-an-electrical-panel

Your electrical panel is like a traffic conductor. It takes all the electrical current that comes to your home and makes sure it is sent to the correct locations. These days, even though most of us have circuit breaker panels, electricity usage is rising to the point where they often need to be upgraded to accommodate a higher flow of electricity. (And if you have a fuse box instead of a circuit breaker panel, it definitely needs an upgrade!)

Sometimes, the need for electrical work doesn’t come from wanting to upgrade to a bigger or newer system. Sometimes, electrical panels are actually damaged. This requires an electrician immediately to avoid power outages and fire hazards. How can you tell if that’s what you’re dealing with? Here are some of the key signs.

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Having Electrical Trouble? We Can Help

Monday, February 6th, 2023
electrical-outlet-wall

Most of us have grown up with easy access to electricity as a reliable power source. Most people don’t think twice about turning on the lights by flipping a switch—at least until the lights don’t respond the way they should.

Here’s the thing though, you should be able to count on your electrical system to supply power if and when you need it. That’s why electrical problems can be such big issues—they are hard to deal with unless you are a trained electrician. That’s where we can help.

We want to make it easy to handle electrical trouble in your house. To help, we’ve created a list of situations that are worth reaching out to electricians in Chicago to address.

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You Need a Reliable Smoke Detector During Heating Season

Monday, November 28th, 2022

We’ve all heard stories of a smoke detector rousing a person just in time to help them exit a burning home. But (hopefully) this isn’t a situation you are too familiar with. More often we view our smoke detectors as something that overreacts when we burn dinner.

Don’t be fooled though. Smoke detectors can keep you safe, prevent safety hazards from putting your life at risk, and can even mean the difference between a burnt outlet and a burnt home. So yes while your smoke detector might add insult to injury when it goes off due to a burning dinner item, we’d still advise keeping yours in optimal condition.

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 5 Ways to Save Energy This Summer

Monday, September 5th, 2022

We all want to enjoy a comfortable and convenient home. But there is a price attached to using the energy needed to operate appliances, such as your home’s lights and air conditioner. The question that everyone is going to be afraid to answer though is how big that price tag is going to be.

There is more than one way to try to save energy while being able to still use all of your home’s appliances. We like to do everything we can to help ensure that you can save money and minimize energy use, which is why we’re offering these tips to help you out.

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AFCI vs. GFCI Outlets

Monday, July 25th, 2022
electrical-outlet-wall

Using an outlet in your home isn’t something that the average person second-guesses. You need to use something that runs on electricity and all you need to do is plug it in to get things running. But what happens if your outlets are giving you problems?

Outlets are vital to your home’s electrical system. Without the right outlet being installed correctly, you are going to encounter trouble trying to use anything that needs to plug in. That is why it is vital to talk to an electrician in Winnetka, IL to ensure that your outlets are set up right.

Start out here, by discovering the importance of the different types of outlets you might need in your home.

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Invest In Better Outdoor Lighting Today

Monday, May 16th, 2022

It won’t be an exaggeration to consider lighting as one of the most critical components of any house. Be it indoors or outdoors, great lighting improves safety, and adds to the beauty of the home.

Outdoor lighting specifically adds a lot of character to a house. Warm lights, bright lights, colorful lights, can all be used to improve your use of your home after the sun sets. They can also add to the atmosphere of your house.

Let’s look at some benefits of adding some outdoor lighting and why you can count on our team to install any hard-wired lighting around your home.

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4 Issues That Cause Frequent Circuit Trips

Monday, April 18th, 2022
electrical-panel-repairs

A circuit trip is the result of safety measures put in place to protect your home from electrical fires and to protect you from electrocution. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t frustrating, especially if your electrical panel is outside of your home.

When a circuit breaker trips, it means stopping what you were trying to do to go reset that circuit. Frequent trips are bothersome because you will spend more time going back and forth to your electrical panel than doing the things that need to be done.

If you are experiencing frequent circuit trips, you may want to contact an electrician in Evanston, IL to address the core cause behind the problem. Let’s look at some of the issues that could cause frequent circuit trips so you know what to expect.

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Do You Need to Upgrade Your Electrical Panel?

Monday, March 21st, 2022
electrical-panel-repairs

Your electrical panel, commonly referred to as a circuit breaker is a critical component of any household. Anything that uses electricity needs an electrical panel to work properly and safely. But how do you know when it’s time to upgrade it?

The average lifespan of an electric panel is typically 25 to 40 years. Various factors affect the lifespan, like power surges, general wear and tear, and damage caused by outside factors. Here are some warning signs that you need to update your electrical panel. Use these indicators to help determine if you need to reach out to one of our expert electricians.

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