You probably don’t expect your blow dryer to use as much electricity as your washing machine or dishwasher, and you’d be correct in that assumption. Different types of appliances have their own kinds of electrical needs, and they may use different kinds of electrical outlets in San Jose as a result. Dedicated circuits are used for your heavy-duty appliances that need more electricity to get the job done. Mixing and matching electrical circuits is dangerous—the wrong setup could harm your appliances and your electrical system as well as present the threat of a fire or shock. Keep reading to learn what you need to know about dedicated circuits.

What They Are

A dedicated circuit is one that provides the appropriate amount of electricity to larger appliances that can’t get enough from a standard electrical outlet. It’s called a dedicated circuit because a single circuit is used with just one appliance, so it’s dedicated to that appliance. It will have a circuit breaker inside your electrical panel, and it will make sure appliances that have high energy demands get the electricity they need. If one of your appliances hasn’t been working properly, have your electrician see if you need a new circuit.

Appliances That Need Them

The more electricity an appliance uses, the more likely it is that you need a dedicated circuit for it. Common examples include refrigerators, air conditioners, electric stoves and ovens, and sump pumps.

Why They Matter

Without dedicated circuits, we wouldn’t be able to regulate the amount of electricity that’s allotted to individual appliances. You can’t expect a phone charger and an air conditioning system both to operate at maximum efficiency using the same amount of energy. We need to be able to control the way we use our electricity in our homes and places of business, so we can extend the lifespans of our appliances, avoid short circuits and power outages, and keep our systems safe and efficient. Dedicated circuits matter so much that they’re now required by the National Electric Code, so have your electrician inspect yours.

Tripped circuit breakers are electrical issues that most homeowners face at least once. If you’ve run into this problem with one of your circuit breakers in San Jose , then read on to learn about some of the possible causes.

Purpose of Circuit Breakers

Circuit breakers play an incredibly important role in protecting you, your family, and your property. The purpose of these safety devices is to cut off the flow of the electricity through an electrical circuit when the current running through it gets too high. By doing this, circuit breakers can help protect your property from electrical fires.

Causes of Tripped Circuit Breakers

An overloaded circuit is the most common cause of a tripped circuit breaker. In this situation, more electrical load is trying to go through the circuit than is safe, and this problem is caused by plugging in too many devices. As each of the devices is turned on, more and more electrical current runs through the circuit until it exceeds safe levels, causing the breaker to trip. Another common cause of a tripped circuit breaker is a short circuit. One type of short circuit occurs when one of the wires leading to the power plant, called a hot wire, touches another hot wire or the wire leading into the ground, called the neutral wire, which can allow too much current to run through the wire. Short circuits can also be caused by problems like ground faults, faulty wiring installation, damage to an electrical component, or plugging in an improperly wired device.

Troubleshooting a Tripped Circuit Breaker

If one of your circuit breakers trips repeatedly, then start considering what devices you are using. If you have several devices plugged in and drawing power from a single circuit, then unplug all but one of these. After doing this, if the breaker doesn’t trip again, then an overloaded circuit is probably the problem. If unplugging devices doesn’t solve the issue, then you may be dealing with a short circuit and should have an electrician look at your breaker box.

Mobile homes have unique wiring and electrical systems that differ slightly from those that are found in traditional residences. As a manager of a mobile home park, it is your responsibility to make sure that all of the homes on your grounds are connected to safe electrical wiring systems. With services from a an electrician serving San Jose , you can make sure that all of your park’s home are safely connected to your electrical panel. To help you schedule your next electrical service, here are some tips for hiring a mobile home park electrician.

Research Local Reviews

When you are in the process of hiring a new electrician to perform services around your mobile home park, you will want to find a contractor who comes with great reviews from past customers. Before you settle on hiring an electrician, consider consulting the contractor’s reviews from former clients. An electrician that comes with top ratings will dedicate the time and energy that is needed to make sure that your park’s electrical system is running correctly.

Consult With Other Park Managers

Chances are that there are several mobile home parks located around your city or county. If you are seeking an electrician that has experience working with mobile homes, consider consulting with the other park managers who live and work in your area. By talking with other professionals who work in the field, you will be able to get a great recommendation for an honest and affordable electrician.

Consider Your Maintenance Needs

Mobile home parks often require specialized services that are unique to the facility. As you are hiring your next mobile home park electrician, seek out a contractor who specializes in the types of maintenance services and repairs that are required for your park. From pedestal repair to substation maintenance, your park’s electrician can provide your mobile home facility with a wide range of services. Your electrician can also identify potential problem areas that may be in need of electrical upgrades.

When you are gearing up to install new appliances in your home, you may need to hire an electrician to create dedicated circuits on your property. Unlike regular outlets, which are connected to the main circuit breaker of your home, dedicated circuits contain their own electrical panels. With assistance from an electrician serving San Jose, you will be able to determine the right placement for all of the dedicated circuits around your house. Some of the terrific advantages of dedicated circuits include:

Provide Enough Electrical Current

Major appliances require much more electrical current than smaller devices and lights. If you were to connect your dishwasher or electric range to a conventional electrical outlet, you would quickly overload your home’s electrical system. With a dedicated circuit, you can ensure that your appliance receives enough electrical current, without putting the rest of your electrical outlets at risk of becoming overloaded. Your electrician will set up your dedicated circuit so that is supplies your appliance with the right amount of power at all times.

Prevent Electrical Safety Hazards

Another reason to install dedicated circuits around your property is that these devices will help to prevent dangerous safety issues in your electrical system. In the event that an appliance is hooked up to a standard, rather than dedicated, circuit, it could be at risk of creating an electrical fire in your home. By investing in dedicated circuits, you will have better peace of mind after your new appliance installation is complete.

Comply With National Electric Code

National Electric Code mandates that all major appliances are connected to dedicated circuits. If you neglect to create dedicated circuits before your next appliance installation, you run the risk of violating the National Electric Code and racking up steep fines. The National Electric Code was created to ensure that all residential and commercial properties remain protected from electrical safety hazards. Your electrician can help you to make sure that all of your appliances and outlets are up to safety regulations.

Although our society depends on electricity all day, every day to keep moving forward, we shouldn’t forget how dangerous it can be when it’s not harnessed properly. It helps to know what kind of wiring you have so you can let your electrician serving San Jose know if you run into problems. Watch this video on why aluminum wiring can be dangerous .

Using aluminum wiring doesn’t guarantee a disaster, but there is a good reason that the industry has switched to copper. Copper doesn’t expand and contract as quickly as aluminum does, making it less volatile and more reliable for your electrical system. If it gets to the point where the connection breaks and electricity must move through the air to get to the next contact, the heat that is generated can lead to a fire. Keep an eye out for charred outlets and investigate any abnormal smells.

Your building’s fuse box, which is also known as a breaker box , is one of its most vital electrical components. Without a properly maintained and updated breaker box system, you may find yourself experiencing frequent outages and other electrical issues. Fortunately, an electrician serving San Jose will be able to assess the condition of your breaker box and determine whether you are in need of electrical panel replacement or repair.

There are a few scenarios when you will need to call an electrician in regards to your breaker box. If you are finding that your electrical circuits are getting overloaded on a frequent basis, a malfunctioning breaker box may be to blame. You will also need to set up professional electrical services when you discover that your breaker box has become outdated. Typically, breaker boxes will last for up to 30 to 40 years before they require replacement. If you are struggling to keep your circuit breakers from tripping, you should be sure to call an electrician right away.

Whether you have recently moved into a new commercial building, or you have occupied the same space for many years, it is important to be on the lookout for the signs that you need to hire a commercial electrician to rewire your grid. Faulty electrical wiring can cause issues with the safety of your outlets, industrial lighting, and other commercial fixtures. A commercial electrician in San Jose can safely and effectively restore the electrical wiring in your commercial space. Let’s take a look at three signs that your building needs to be rewired.

Visible Scorch Marks

The electrical outlets around your building should be able to safely handle the electrical current that is required to power your various appliances and other electrical fixtures. If you see visible scorch marks on one or more outlets, this is a sure indication that your building is ready for rewiring. When your electrician rewires your circuits, he will make sure that they have the capacity to handle larger amounts of electric current, without sparking or overheating.

Tripped Circuit Breakers

The circuit breakers in your building are designed to trip whenever the system gets overloaded with electrical current. While a circuit breaker that occasionally trips should not lead you to worry, frequently tripping circuit breakers could indicate an underlying issue with your wiring. During the rewiring process, your commercial electrician will also install all new circuit breakers throughout your building. After your rewiring project is complete, you should not have to deal with tripped circuit breakers or blown fuses.

Dimming Overhead Lights

Proper lighting is essential for maintaining a productive and safe workplace. Overhead lights that seem to dim at random could be connected to old and faulty electrical wiring. When you start to notice that your overhead lights are flickering or unusually dim, it might be time to get in touch with your electrician. Your electrician can determine whether your whole building needs to be rewired, or whether you simply need to update the wires that are connected to a specific light fixture.

When your residential electrician creates a new wiring plan for your home, he will typically include several dedicated circuits . Your dedicated circuits are designed to provide additional power to certain types of appliances. With services from a residential electrician in San Jose, you will be able to figure out which of your appliances need dedicated circuits in order to be safely connected to your breaker box. After your dedicated circuits have been created, you will be able to use your appliances with confidence.

There are a few types of appliances that almost always require dedicated circuits. Washing machines, dishwashers, and clothes dryers are all examples of appliances that use enough power to need their own circuits. These dedicated circuits include grounding features and other safety devices that will prevent your appliances from overloading your electrical system. In order to ensure that your electrical system complies with national electrical code, you may need to install several dedicated circuits throughout each area of your home.

Whether you are a first time homeowner or you have been living in your current residence for many years, it is important to make sure that you understand how your property’s electrical system works. By learning basic information about your electrical panel, breaker box, and other systems, you will have a better idea of when you need to hire an electrician serving San Jose . Let’s review some basic information that all homeowners need to know about their electrical systems.

Main Breaker Panel

The main electrical supply for your home enters your property through the main breaker panel. After the electrical current passes through your meter, it reaches the breaker so that it can transferred to the various circuits that power your house. The main breaker is located inside your home, and is designed to switch off when a surge in power is detected. In the event of an electrical emergency in your home, you may need to manually turn off the switch that is located in your main breaker.

Circuit Breakers

Once you have identified your main breaker, you will be able to easily find your circuit breakers. Typically, your circuit breakers will be located directly next to the main breaker panel. Each switch in the circuit breaker is connected to a specific room or area of the house. When a room in your house suddenly loses power, a tripped circuit breaker may be the cause. Flipping the specific circuit back to the on position could restore power to the affected area.

GFCIs

In order to protect you and your loved ones from electrical accidents, your home will also be equipped with devices that are called GFCIs. GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt, and your GFCIs can help to ensure that you and your loved ones are not in danger of getting shocked. The GFCI is designed to immediately shut off the electricity to an outlet if it senses an overload. Typically, GFCIs are installed directly within the outlets of a home.

Before you embark on an electrical project in your home, you will need to turn off the appropriate switches in your breaker box. This video demonstrates how to create labels in a standard breaker box. To label your breaker box, you can test to see which switches control each area of your home. A team of electricians in San Jose can help you test, label, and maintain the breaker box in your home.

If you are having electrical issues on your property, be sure to hire a certified electrician. Electrical repairs can be dangerous if they are not performed by a trained and experienced professional. With help from your electrician, you can ensure that your breaker box, wiring, and outlets are functioning safely.