Your home’s electrical system is one of its most important features. From your circuit breaker to your electric panels, the electrical system in your home is composed of a variety of sophisticated features. By educating yours el about the electrical supply to your home, you will be able to prevent an electrical emergency. An electrician serving San Jose can help you take expert care of your home’s electrical system. With the services of a qualified electrician, you can be sure that you will not be left without power. To help you test your knowledge of your home, here are some questions that you should be able to answer about your electrical system.

What Is the Difference Between a Fuse and a Circuit Breaker?
Fuses and circuit breakers both serve important functions in your electrical system . You will find these components inside your home’s electrical panel. Older homes may be equipped with fuses. If your home was built after the 1960s, chances are that your electrical system contains circuit breakers.

Where Is Your Main Panel Located?
Your main panel is located at the power source for your building. If you open your main panel, you will find all of the circuit breakers that control your electrical supply. When your electrical system becomes overloaded, you may need to open your main panel and flip a circuit breaker switch. A licensed electrician can help you locate the electrical panel in your home.

Are Your Outlets Grounded?
Grounded outlets are an important safety feature in a building. When an outlet is grounded, it is less likely to cause shock or electrocution. To determine whether your outlets are grounded, you can look at the prong holes in each socket. A grounded outlet will contain three holes, whereas an ungrounded outlet will have only two. If your home contains ungrounded outlets, you may want to schedule an upgrade with your electrician.

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A faulty or malfunctioning electric panel can pose a serious threat to your home. If your home was built between the 1950s and the 1980s, chances are that your electrical supply is connected to a Federal Pacific electric panel. These electric panels are highly dangerous, and should be replaced with brand new breaker boxes. Over the years, it has been shown that Federal Pacific electric panels do not meet the safety standards that were set by the UL. These faulty boxes can overheat, causing a building fire. If your home contains a Federal Pacific electric panel, do not hesitate to contact an electrician serving San Jose. The highly experienced electricians at a San Jose electrical company can evaluate the safety of your current electrical system. By trusting your new electrical panel upgrade to the professionals, you can rest easy knowing that your home is safe from the risk of an electrical fire.

Your circuit breakers are designed to ensure the safety of yourself and your family. When your home experiences a power surge, your circuit breaker will automatically shut off power to a certain area of your home. When you are building or remodeling your home , you may need to place new outlets on your electric panel. By hiring an electrician serving San Jose, you can ensure that your electrical wiring is performed safely and in accordance to electrical code. To provide you with an inside look at some of the important services offered by an electrician, here is an overview of the process of placing outlets on a 20 amp electrical circuit.

Determining Breaker Load
The first step of placing outlets on a 20 amp electrical circuit is to determine the allowable breaker load. The breaker load stands for the total amount of electricity that the circuit can handle before it becomes overloaded. As a general rule, a breaker can handle up to eighty percent of its rating. This means that the total load on a 20 amp circuit should be no more than 16 amps.

Balancing the Load
Once the total allowable load has been determined, the next step is to decide which appliances and lights should be plugged into the circuit. To ensure the safety and performance of the circuit, it is a good idea to strike a balance between lights and outlets. This will ensure that the circuit does not become overloaded.

Assigning Each Receptacle
Another way to prevent an overloaded circuit is to make sure that each receptacle is properly balanced. On a 20 amp circuit, this means that each receptacle should draw no more than 1.5 amps. These receptacles can be connected to fixtures and appliances using 12-guage wire. With the services of an electrician, you can ensure that your 20 amp circuit is properly set up.

There are many indicators that can signal it is time to rewire your home. Some of the most common signs of bad electrical wiring include inadequate power to switches or outlets, aluminum or cloth insulated wiring, ungrounded wiring, and an unsafe electrical panel. Rewiring your home can also provide additional outlets and protect your valuable electronics. Here is a look at the process of rewiring a house, including tips for choosing an electrician in San Jose .

Create an “Electrical Inventory”
The first step of rewiring your home is to create a list of all the electrical devices and appliances you’ll be using in the house, and where. Figuring out where and how you’ll be using power makes it easier for your electrician to install an adequate electrical system.

Research Local Building Codes
Building codes set electrical standards for everything from what kind of wiring is permitted to how many outlets you are allowed to put in each room. Designing and installing an electrical system that is not up to code can result in fines or having to pull out finished work.

Identify Existing Infrastructure
To help your electrician perform the rewiring job as smoothly as possible, identify and mark existing electrical and plumbing infrastructure in your home. If you do not have the blueprints for your home, hire a contractor to mark pipes and existing wiring before your electrician arrives.

Hire an Electrician
When you are ready to hire an electrician in San Jose, look for a licensed professional who has experience rewiring older homes in the Bay Area. Rewiring is a complex, demanding, and difficult process, so make sure the electrical company you hire is licensed, insured, and experienced. And if you aren’t sure whether your home needs to be rewired, schedule an electrical inspection to determine the best course of action.

Dedicated circuits are designed to supply electricity to appliances with power demands higher than average appliances and electronics. If you are installing an electric cook top, for example, you may need to hire an electrician in San Jose to install a dedicated circuit. According to the National Electric Code, an electric cook top needs its own dedicated cir cuit only when there are no other built-in cooking appliances installed. An electric cook top does not need its own circuit if it is connected to the same circuit as a built-in oven. ​

The best way to protect your appliances and stay up to code is to schedule an in-home inspection with a San Jose electrician . Your electrician will inspect your electrical supply and recommend whether a dedicated circuit is needed for your electric cook top.