ServiceMax Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Electrical Repair’

3 Signs Your Generator Needs Repairs

Monday, October 21st, 2019

emergency-home-generatorThe wind is howling and an ice storm has begun. Thankfully you and yours are snuggled up within your home, safe and sound and warm. That is, you were warm before the power went out. But wait! You have a working generator!

The situation above is one that residents of Chicago are familiar with. They are also likely familiar with the (ironically) icy feeling of dread that creeps up the spine when their generator won’t turn on and things are getting colder by the minute in the house.

Even if your generator is working, if it is in need of repairs, it won’t be the reliable power provider that is usually is. This is why repair needs should be addressed as quickly as possible once they are identified.

But how do you know your generator needs repairs?

Continue Reading

Why Should I Care About My Local Electrical Code?

Monday, October 7th, 2019

electrical-panel-repairs

Picture this: You move into a new home and your good friend John Doe—who enjoys learning about residential electrical codes—has pointed out an electrical code violation or two. You shrug it off because it doesn’t seem like that big of a deal to you. The police won’t give you a ticket over faulty wires!

The issue with the tale above is that there is, in fact, a big problem with having an electrical code violation in your home. Why? Because it puts everyone in the home at risk. At a minimum, you will encounter short-circuiting galore; at the worst, your home could burn down.

John Doe’s knowledge of local electrical codes lets him know when he needs to call for electrical repair in Chicago, IL because of a violation. Simply being aware of common violations that happen every day can make a huge difference in keeping you are your loved ones safe.

But what do you need to know? Continue reading to find out.

Continue Reading

Electrical Problems in Your Air Conditioner Can Mean Big Trouble!

Monday, June 4th, 2018

HVAC-installer-strips-small-wiringAt ServiceMax, we offer a wide range of services for our customers. We’re both an electrical and HVAC contractor for Wilmette, IL and the rest of Chicagoland. This puts us in the special position of understanding the electrical issues that may affect an air conditioning system during the summer. That’s good news—because electrical malfunctions are the most common type in air conditioners. It only takes a few wiring glitches in your home’s AC to turn a pleasant summer day indoors into a sweatbox!

Continue Reading

An Electrical Caution if Your Home Was Built between 1950 and 1990!

Monday, April 9th, 2018

electrical-panel-repairsWe hope we caught your attention with the headline, because if you live in a Chicagoland home built within that range, you may have a serious fire hazard in your home and not be aware of it.

The trouble is with panels installed between 1950 and 1990 by a now-defunct manufacturer called Federal Pacific Electric Company (FPE). These panels may contain Stab-Lok circuit breakers, which are defective and a serious fire hazard. Millions of these circuit breaker boxes were installed in homes throughout North America between 1950 and1990. Although these malfunctioning panels are responsible for thousands of fires every year, they were never issued a former recall after tests uncovered the defects. Professional electricians urge homeowners who live in houses built before 1990 to check if they have a FBE electrical panel with Stab-Lok breakers and call for an immediate replacement if they do.

Continue Reading

Electrical Problems May Be the Trouble with Your Heating, Not the Heater

Monday, March 12th, 2018

electrical-panel-repairsYou need electricity to run your heating system. That’s true even if you have a gas-powered system like a gas furnace or boiler. Modern gas heaters use electronic ignition systems to fire up their burners and they also need electrical power for other components, such as the blower fan that sends heated air from a furnace and into the ventilation system.

If you run into trouble getting your heater to run, it’s possible you have an external electrical issue rather than an issue inside the heater. Regardless of what the source of the problem is, you’ll need experts—either in HVAC or residential electrical systems—to assist you with locating, identifying, and fixing the problem. Since we’re both electricians and HVAC technicians, you can trust us to find out what’s wrong with your heater and get your house warm again.

Continue Reading