Circuit breakers are standard features in today’s homes. When you are considering purchasing a new house, you will want to determine whether your property is equipped with a circuit breaker box or a fuse box. Typically, only houses that were built before 1960 will contain fuse boxes. An electrician serving San Jose may recommend that you replace your home’s outdated fuse box with a brand new circuit breaker system.

One of the primary differences between circuit breaker boxes and fuse boxes is the operation of each type of unit. The fuses inside of a fuse box are designed to blow out during a power surge. After a fuse has blown, it will need to be replaced before power is restored to that area. By contrast, circuit breakers simply switch off when an electrical current causes a surge. Since circuit breakers do not blow, they offer greater convenience and safety to the homeowner.

When your business grows and expands, you may find that it is necessary to build an addition to your office or retail space. Rather than attempting to perform your remodel on your own, you will want to trust all of your electrical work to a commercial electrician in San Jose . From hanging lights to installing electrical outlets and more, your electrician will be able to safely and efficiently manage the electrical components required for your addition project. Here is an overview of what business owners need to know about setting up an electrical system when planning an addition.

Proper Lighting is Key

One of the most important aspects of your business addition is your lighting design. The proper lighting design will provide visibility for your employees and clients, while also highlighting the architectural components of your new space. Working with a licensed electrician will allow you to plan out the perfect lighting design for your property. Your electrician can help you find and install the right types of lights for each area of your addition.

Electrical Outlets Should Be Strategically Placed

Along with choosing the lighting design for your commercial addition, you will also need to think carefully about the placement of all of your electrical outlets. Your workers will use outlets to power appliances, computers, and other types of electrical equipment that is needed for your daily work tasks. Having your electrician place outlets in strategic locations will help you improve the productivity and efficiency of your business.

Safety Is a Top Priority

As you are planning an addition to your commercial building, you will want to keep the safety of your workers in mind. A properly installed and maintained electrical system will help to keep your new addition safe and protected from electrical fires and other dangers. For answers to your questions about your upcoming commercial addition, be sure to get in touch with an experienced electrical company.

Whether you have a growing family or you would simply like to expand the usable living space in your home, renovating your basement is a great way to add additional square footage to your property. During a basement renovation, your residential electrician serving San Jose will assist you with your lighting installation . Hanging lights in the right areas around your basement will help you brighten up your newly restored space. To help you get ready for your work with a residential electrician, here is a look at some basement lighting tips.

Illuminate Key Areas

As you are creating a lighting design for your basement renovation, you will want to consider which areas will need the most illumination. Places where you will be performing tasks such as reading or playing games should be illuminated with task lighting. Some examples of task lighting include recessed lights and pendant lights. Pointing a focused light at a certain area of a basement room can also emphasize a beautiful architectural feature, such as a built in bookshelf.

Create Overall Illumination

Whether you have a daylight basement, or your basement is low on natural light, you will want to make sure that your space is properly illuminated overall. Hanging light fixtures can be used to bathe your newly updated basement rooms in a cheery glow. When you are choosing lights to hang from your ceiling, you will want to pick out fixtures that help to create a sense of spaciousness and elevation.

Choose Energy-Efficient Products

In order to conserve energy when you are lighting your basement, you will want to choose energy-efficient lighting products for your design. LED light bulbs, for example, are extremely efficient choices for any homeowner. By going with LED bulbs, rather than conventional products, you can enjoy energy savings, while also achieving the same level of illumination. An electrician that specializes in lighting will be able to provide you with more energy-saving tips for your installation.

Circuit breakers are designed to shut off power to a circuit if an electrical surge is detected. This video will provide you with some essential information about the circuit breakers in your home. When your circuit breakers are tripped, it will be up to you to turn the power back on. For example, if a single GFCI socket has been tripped, you will be able to reset the power on the outlet, itself. An electrician serving San Jose can answer your questions about circuit breaker safety.

If you have noticed that your circuit breakers are tripping frequently, it may be time to hire a residential electrician. An electrician can address issues in your electrical panel, and recommend any necessary updates or repairs. Rewiring certain areas of your home will help to prevent your home’s outlets from getting overloaded.

Your home should reflect your style and personality. If you don’t like the way your kitchen looks, change it. However, you should be prepared for a long, complicated process. The new configuration of your electrical system is just one of many things you need to plan for. Fortunately, this shouldn’t be a problem as long as you work with a skilled San Jose electrician . Here’s a quick look at how you should plan for the electrical aspect of your kitchen remodel.

Normal Outlets

Like most homeowners, you probably use several different electrical appliances when cooking. For the sake of convenience, it’s a good idea to have a few outlets located above the counters and below the upper cabinets. Think about where you’re most likely to use your toaster, microwave, and other countertop appliances as you’re planning for your electrical needs, and make sure you aren’t over-relying on one circuit for all your appliances.

Appliance Outlets

It’s important to keep in mind that not all outlets are the same. For instance, you can’t plug a refrigerator or electric stove into a typical 110v outlet. Instead, you should have your electrician install outlets with dedicated circuits near where you plan to put your large electrical appliances. The best time to bring in an electrician for this kind of work is just after the old kitchen has been taken out and just before the new one comes in.

Lighting

Finally, you’ll need to have a plan for your kitchen lighting by the time you call your electrician. Recessed lighting is a subtle but bright option that can provide plenty of illumination as you entertain guests and prepare meals. You might also consider installing lights along the bottoms of your cabinetry to further shed some light on the situation. You don’t have to plan your whole kitchen around electricity—a good electrician can help make your dream kitchen a reality.

Flickering lights can be creepy, but in some cases they can also serve as signs of danger. In others, however, they simply indicate that you need to change your light bulbs. If changing your bulbs doesn’t work, you will need to call your commercial or residential electrician in San Jose to diagnose the problem and find out what needs to be done. Remember that working on electrical wiring on your own can be dangerous if you are not trained, skilled, and experienced, so play it safe and call the pros. Keep reading to learn what causes flickering lights.

In many cases you can fix a flickering light by simply taking out your light bulb and replacing it with a new one; however, you should make sure that you wait until the bulb has fully cooled down before touching it to avoid a burn. If it turns out that the light bulb is not the culprit, you will most likely have to call your electrician. Flickering lights can also indicate a problem with your electrical wiring. Try paying attention to when your lights flicker. If they happen whenever a certain appliance turns on or off, this appliance may be demanding too much power.

Deciding to undergo commercial electrical remodeling is a responsible decision that can protect employees, customers, and even your building itself. When you meet with your commercial electrician in San Jose, you should have a few questions prepared before starting the process. Find out about the company’s background, specifically with regards to electrical remodeling. You should also ask about how long the project will take and how much it will cost to complete. Continue on for more on the questions to ask about your commercial electrical remodeling project.

What is your company’s background?

You are aware that you need a commercial electrician to help you with your remodeling project, but which one do you call? Not every electrician or commercial electrical service is equally reliable, so make sure you choose the right one. When you meet with your potential options, find out what each company’s background looks like. You will want to work with an electrician that has plenty of experience with commercial electrical remodeling so that you can rest assured that you will enjoy the results you desire. Find out how long the company has been in business, how they screen their employees, and who you can talk to about their past work.

How long will the process take?

Depending on the scope of the project and the nature of your business, commercial electrical remodeling can have a substantial effect on your company’s productivity. Thus, you will want to make sure that you can have the project completed in a timely fashion. Before you agree to their services or sign a contract, ask your electrical contractors how long they expect the project to take. This will help you plan accordingly and keep business on track.

How much will it cost?

Cost is always an essential factor to consider, and it should be one of the main points of conversation between you and your commercial electrician. Keep in mind that quality jobs are not often cheap, and that cheap jobs will typically not offer you the results you need. Get a firm price from your electrician for the entire project before beginning.

You don’t have to be an electrician serving San Jose to understand how electrical outlets work and how to stay safe when using them. The earlier you learn about electricity, the more easily you can protect yourself, your family, and your house. Watch this electrical safety video and share it with your kids.

Electricity uses different kinds of mediums to travel, but some are more efficient than others. Water, wood, and metal materials are all conductors of electricity, so they help it move from place to place. Make sure you keep these materials away from electrical outlets to prevent serious accidents like fires and electrocution. You should also be sure to avoid power lines, especially during severe weather events like thunderstorms; even power lines that don’t necessarily look dangerous can still be hazardous to your safety. Remember to avoid plugging too many appliances into an outlet to avoid blown fuses and other electrical problems.

Proper electrical wiring in San Jose helps to keep your home or business place safe and efficient, but it won’t last forever. If you want to make the most of your electrical systems, you will need to recognize faults and malfunctions so you can call your electrician and have them addressed. You might need new electrical wiring if you don’t have enough outlets or if the ones you do have are burnt out. A circuit breaker that trips too frequently could also suggest a problem. Here is a closer look at a few signs that you need new electrical wiring.

Insufficient Outlet Space

Misusing your electrical systems can come with dire consequences. If you find yourself constantly unplugging appliances to power different ones, consider the amount of outlet space you have to work with in the area. If you don’t have enough outlets to plug in all of the appliances you need to, you might need new electrical wiring. Some people will use extension cords and power strips to plug in more appliances, but this is only okay to a certain extent; when you plug an extension cord into a power strip to maximize your space, you could be setting yourself up for a disaster.

Dangerous Fixtures

Sometimes it is easy to tell if your outlets are in bad condition, and other times it is not. If you see black spots around your outlet, chances are it could use a replacement—or at least a look from a professional electrician. Never assume that a charred outlet will be fine just because it has not yet contributed to an electrical fire, electrocution, or other disaster. Instead, call your electrician and have your outlet replaced.

Overworked Circuit Breaker

Your circuit breaker is designed to cut off electricity when too much power is sent to any given outlet. If this occurs, the appliances plugged into that outlet will lose power and shut down. If you notice that your circuit breaker trips on a regular basis, there is probably a problem with the power distribution; this is something that should be brought to the attention of a professional electrician.

Just like any other community, mobile home parks require certain electrical services near San Jose. Quality electrical contractors and the services they provide can keep people safe as well as improve the efficiency of the community. It’s important to realize that many electrical issues should be left to a professional and that attempting to handle them on your own can be risky and dangerous. Feel free to keep reading if you would like a look at the electrical needs of mobile home parks.

There are many common electrical components involved in apartments, houses, and dorm buildings, and they can typically be found in mobile home parks as well. A mobile home may be susceptible to a blown transformer, but your electrician can help you with a replacement. You might also need to replace underground cables or find underground faults, which will also require the help of your professional electrician. Your electrical contractor should also be experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to mobile home wiring, always offering professional results. If you are in need of pedestal or substation repair or replacement, street light repair, or coach cord replacement, your professional electrician should be the one you turn to for your needs.