Circuit breakers are designed to protect your home by breaking the circuit when the device is overloaded. In San Jose, circuit breaker tripping is most often caused by simply having too many electric appliances and devices running at the same time. Electricians also find that tripping breakers are caused by electrical wiring damage. For instance, an extension cord may have been damaged or a wire in the wall might have broken.

You can watch this featured video to find out more about circuit breakers. However, do call an electrician to make any needed repairs, instead of trying a potentially dangerous DIY approach. In some cases, homeowners may need to upgrade the electrical panel or replace some wiring.

Business owners have a lot to worry about, from expenses and payroll to sales and marketing. A commercial electrical safety inspection is much more than one more item on your to-do list—it’s an effective way to protect your customers, employees, and business. If it’s been longer than a year since your last electrical safety inspection, call a commercial electrician in San Jose right away. If you wait too long, you may learn the hard way that putting off preventive maintenance is a costly mistake.

By Protecting Your Customers and Employees

The main benefit of having an electrician inspect your commercial property is that it protects your customers and employees from harm. Electrical fires are particularly dangerous, since they can spark and smolder behind the walls, and stay undetected for a long time. By the time the fire is noticed and the firefighters arrive on the scene, it’s possible that your employees or customers have already been hurt. Even if the flames don’t burn them, the smoke inhalation can be deadly.

By Keeping Your Investment Safe

You’ve worked hard to build your company. You’ve probably gone through a number of ups and downs, but a devastating fire could be a problem that you can’t weather. Electrical fires cause more damage to companies than just property loss. Even after you rebuild, the fire will have kept your business closed for weeks, if not months. In the meantime, your customers will have gone somewhere else, and your employees will have found other jobs. As a result, you might have to start all over again. An annual commercial electrical inspection is a cost-effective and time-efficient way to protect your business.

By Maintaining Code Compliance

“Liability” and “code non-compliance” are scary words for business owners. If your electrical system isn’t up to code, you may incur penalties such as fines. And if a fire does happen, any affected customers and employees may file lawsuits to hold you liable for their medical expenses. Give yourself the peace of mind that comes from knowing your commercial property is safe from electrical meltdowns.

If you have an older home, there’s a good chance it has aluminum wiring. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the price of copper rose considerably, and so new homes were constructed with aluminum wiring instead. A residential electrician in San Jose can confirm whether your house has this type of wiring, and he or she may recommend converting to copper wiring to reduce the risk of a house fire. Only licensed electricians should perform this conversion.

Aluminum wiring by itself isn’t risky, but the way it connects to devices is. Electricians recommend converting to copper wiring because it doesn’t expand and contract with temperature changes the way aluminum wiring does. Over time, this can loosen the connection between the aluminum wiring and the circuit breaker, electrical fixture, electrical outlet, or switch. Loose electrical connections can cause overheating, which consequently, can trigger a house fire. Hiring a residential electrician to convert your aluminum wiring can give you peace of mind knowing that your family is safer.

It’s difficult for homeowners to determine if they need to have a residential electrician in San Jose rewire the building. The most effective way to protect your family from electrical fires is to schedule a professional inspection by a certified electrician. Inspections can be beneficial even if you haven’t noticed any problems, but you should definitely schedule an appointment soon if you’ve noticed any of the following issues.

You have an older home.

Have you recently bought an older home, or are you considering purchasing one? Or maybe you’ve been living in your current residence for decades, and can’t remember the last time an electrician visited. Any of these situations may call for electrical rewiring. The electrician will check for common problems associated with older homes, including the presence of aluminum wiring instead of copper wiring and ungrounded, two-prong outlets. In addition, if you have an extension cord at nearly every outlet, the wiring is likely inadequate for your family’s modern needs.

You’ve recently made major renovations.

Not every home renovation affects the electrical wiring. Simply replacing your kitchen cabinets, flooring, or bathroom vanities, for example, doesn’t necessarily mean an electrician should upgrade your system. But if your renovations include adding major appliances, like a hot tub or an extra chest freezer in the basement, then an electrician should inspect the system. It’s possible that you’ll need to rewire the home so that it’s capable of supporting the increased electricity needs.

You’ve noticed warning signs of electrical problems.

Your electrical system can give you some warning signs that a major malfunction could happen soon. Your electrician may need to rewire the home or upgrade the panel if the circuit breaker trips frequently. Other warning signs may include the following:

• The odor of something burning that isn’t caused by meal preparation
• Loose electrical outlets
• Sparking or arcing from an outlet when a cord is plugged in or unplugged
• Lights that frequently flicker or grow dimmer inexplicably
• Sizzling or buzzing sounds
• Frequently burned-out lightbulbs
• Light switch plates that are discolored or feel hot

Do not attempt to fix these problems yourself, as electrical malfunctions can be dangerous.