Thoughtful interior lighting can do a lot for the atmosphere and mood in your home. The right combination of down lighting, ambient lighting, spot lighting, and task lighting can create a beautiful, multi-dimensional look in your home. To learn more about these and other types of lighting, as well as how to incorporate them into your home’s lighting design, watch this short video.

Changing a lightbulb is nothing like installing new lighting fixtures, which is why homeowners are highly encouraged to trust all lighting installations with a certified residential electrician in their area. San Jose electricians can also assist with the design of your lighting system to achieve optimal functionality, safety, and aesthetics.

Safety is a top priority when it comes to working with electricity, which is one of the many reasons why it’s crucial that you leave all electrical repairs and installations to a certified electrician in San Jose . Not only will an electrician know how to safely work with electricity, but he will also know how to leave your electrical system in the safest possible shape. Case in point: Grounding. Electricity follows the path of least resistance, and without proper grounding that path could be you or someone you love. Here are some important things to know about electrical grounding and electrical safety in general.

How Grounding Works

Although most electrical systems have fuses or circuit breakers to prevent deadly fault currents or short circuits, people can still be fatally shocked by a current well below the point at which a fuse will blow or a circuit breaker will switch. Grounding provides an electrical current or system with a conductor that is less resistant than humans, which means the electricity will always flow through the grounding wire. Most electrical cable contains a bare wire, which carries the grounded connection to an outlet or appliance.

How to Determine if Electricity is Grounded

Although you should not attempt any electrical repairs or installations on your own, it’s still important that you know how to tell if your home’s electrical system is grounded. Generally, three-pronged outlets are a good indication that your home is properly grounded. However, the only way to know for sure is to have a qualified electrician check out your electrical system.

Danger of Ungrounded Electrical Currents

Ungrounded electrical systems can pose a serious safety hazard, especially in older homes that may have damaged or worn out electrical wiring. In addition to the risk of shock and electrocution resulting from touching an ungrounded electrical receptacle, entire appliances or devices can become charged with electricity if plugged into an ungrounded outlet, which greatly increases the risk of electrocution.

Commercial remodeling is an extremely important undertaking, as even the smallest problem or delay can have costly repercussions. Fortunately, the certified electricians at Delta Electric have decades of commercial remodeling experience to ensure that your project goes smoothly. Delta Electric has provided commercial remodeling services in San Jose since 1982, and their up front and reasonable pricing can help streamline the entire process.

Delta Electric provides free estimates and will meet with you to discuss your commercial remodel in detail so every aspect is accounted for. When you work with dedicated commercial remodeling technicians and certified electricians at Delta Electric, you can count on prompt and efficient service. And while Delta Electric completes every job in a timely manner, there is absolutely no reduction in the level of quality. That’s one of the many reasons why Delta Electric has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

How old is your home? This is important information, especially considering that the age of your home is most likely the same age as the electrical wiring inside the walls. Out-of-date electrical wiring can cause all sorts of issues, especially when trying to power today’s every-growing collection of electricity-hungry appliances and electronics. The good news is that a certified residential electrician in San Jose can fix all of your home’s wiring issues and make sure they never happen again. Here’s a look at some of the most common wiring issues you may experience, and how your electrician can help.

Ungrounded Receptacles

An ungrounded electrical system is incredibly dangerous. Although ungrounded receptacles are not an electrical code violation, they are dangerous enough to warrant a call to the electrician. How do you know if you have ungrounded receptacles? It’s easy, just look for two-pronged outlets around your home. Not only are ungrounded receptacles dangerous for humans, but they can also damage your expensive appliances and electronics.

No GFCIs

Speaking of outlets, another common wiring issue is a lack of ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in wet areas, such as the bathroom and kitchen. GFCIs shut down electrical circuits in four milliseconds to prevent fatal shocks. Electrical codes require GFCIs within four feet of any sink and on all garage, basement, and outdoor outlets. If your home lacks GFCIs in these required areas, contact a residential electrician in San Jose.

Aluminum Wiring

This type of wiring was very common in the 1960s and 70s as a cheap substitute for copper. Unfortunately, aluminum wiring is very dangerous. Aluminum corrodes when in contact with copper, and the loosened connections can lead to arcing and fires. Converting or retrofitting aluminum wiring can be hard (and dangerous) to do yourself, so it’s best to hire a certified electrician if you believe your home uses aluminum wiring.