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.

When you are thinking of purchasing an older property, it is very important to have an electrician inspect the home’s wiring. Electrical standards and regulations have been updated over time, and an older home may contain not contain modern wires, grounding units, or breaker box systems. An electrician serving San Jose will be able to determine whether a rewiring project is needed for a property. Here is an overview of some warning signs that a building needs to be rewired.

Overheating Electrical Sockets

To determine whether a building needs to be rewired, your electrician may start by taking a look at the electrical sockets. If the sockets are hot to the touch after they have been turned on, they may be in need of new wiring. An electrical system that is overloaded or outdated may cause the electrical sockets to heat up dangerously. Replacing your wiring may also mean that you need to install brand new sockets in each room.

Outdated Fuse Box

An outdated fuse box is another key indication that a property needs to be rewired. When an electrician inspects your property’s wiring, he may take a look to see whether an older style of fuse box is still in place. If the fuse box has not been updated, this is a sign that the wiring in the home has also not been replaced. Replacing the fuse box and wiring will make the properly much safer for all of its occupants.

Damaged Sockets or Light Switches

Signs of damage to the sockets or light switches may also indicate that a building needs to be rewired. Your sockets may show signs of burns or loose fittings. Any visible signs to the sockets or light switches of a property will clearly indicate that the system needs to be rewired. After you have the home rewired, you can rest assured that its electrical system is safe for use.

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.

There are many responsibilities that you face as a business owner, and one important responsibility is ensuring the proper function of your building’s electrical system. The following are a few of the things that your commercial electrician in San Jose would want you to know about electrical maintenance for your property :

Periodic safety inspections are essential.

No matter the age of your building or your type of business, scheduling an electrical safety inspection now and then is a must. Also, having a commercial electrician take a look at the electrical wiring before you move into a new building can help ensure that there are no problems with things like the electrical panels and underground wiring. Regularly having an electrician ensure that your building’s wiring is in good shape can help reduce hazards and protect your electrical system from damage and the need for costly repairs.

Some buildings need new wiring.

To help protect the safety of your team, as well as prevent damage to your property, it’s important to know whether your business needs rewiring. Having an insufficient number of outlets, an obsolete or malfunctioning circuit breaker, or the presence of old, ungrounded, cloth-insulated, or aluminum-containing wiring are all indications that your building could benefit from rewiring services. Having your building rewired can help ensure the ongoing safety of your employees and better electrical service capacity for your business.

Breaker and fuse replacements should be left to professionals.

It’s not uncommon for someone who has worked on a residential breaker box to assume that updating or repairing a commercial one requires the same levels of electrical knowledge, skills, and experience. However, the breaker boxes installed in commercial buildings tend to be more complicated than those used in residences. For this reason, it’s important to contact a commercial electrician about things like breaker and fuse replacement, rather than try to tackle the job yourself. Also, calling an electrician for this task will give him a chance to evaluate your breaker box and determine if it should be replaced with a newer and safer model.

Adding on rooms, installing new flooring, and updating your landscaping are all great ways to improve your home’s value and curb appeal, However, did you know that your home’s electrical system can affect your property’s worth, too? If you’re looking for ways to increase the value of your home, then consider calling a residential electrician in San Jose about the following upgrades:

More Lighting

Whether it’s windows, skylights, security motion detector lights, or dimmer switches, having more light in and around your home can make the property more appealing to buyers and increase its value. Also, having high-wattage bulbs installed can make a space feel larger and choosing soft lighting can make a room feel more warm and inviting. For these reasons, adding more lights in parts of your home that seem too dim is a smart electrical upgrade.

New Switches

Among the simplest and least expensive electrical upgrades that you can perform on your home is changing out the light switches. Old light switches that have become yellowed with age and that have paint smears on them are eyesores. By replacing your old toggle switches with clean, new, push button varieties, you can instantly make your home appear more up-to-date and appealing.

Updated Panels

If your home has an outdated electrical panel, then upgrading to a newer model is a smart way to boost your home’s value. Older panels can cause your home to experience inadequate service along with power outages. Also, some old panel models can even pose a fire hazard. For these reasons, it makes sense to have a certified electrician inspect your panel to determine whether it should be replaced.

Ceiling Fans

While it may not be the first thing to come to mind as a homeowner or seller, ceiling fans can be highly-prized features for homebuyers. For this reason, if you’re in the process of making electrical upgrades to your home or plan to add more lighting, then consider having your electrician install a few ceiling fans, as well.

Many electrical jobs require the skills of a certified electrician . However, there are some that you can do yourself when you know how to perform them correctly. If you need to replace an electrical outlet in San Jose, then watch this video to learn how to complete this task safely.

Start by going to your breaker box and turning off the power to the electrical outlet. Second, remove the faceplate and then unscrew and pull out the receptacle. Next, disconnect the black wire, followed by the white wire and then the ground wire. Then, reconnect the wires to the new outlet by pairing ground to green, white to silver, and black to brass. Finally, attach the new outlet to the wall and then put the faceplate in place.

If you live in a home that was built prior to the 1940s, chances are that your electrical system is equipped with aluminum wiring. While aluminum wiring was the standard for homes in previous decades, this wiring material is now considered to be outdated and unsafe. A residential electrician in San Jose can provide you with an electrical wiring conversion that will fully replace your aluminum wires. Along with replacing your electrical panel, you may want to ask whether a new wiring installation is right for your home. Let’s explore three popular upgrades that can be used for homes that have aluminum wiring.

Copper Wire

When you are shopping for an affordable and effective wiring solution, you may want to consider a copper wire installation. Copper wire is popular due to its terrific conductivity. Along with being very conductive, copper wire is also flexible enough to be placed in areas throughout your home. Your new copper wire will also be resistant to loosening, which will help to keep your fixtures and outlets properly intact.

COPULUM Wire

If you do not wish to go through the process of completely removing and replacing all of the aluminum wire in your home, you may want to ask your electrician about the possibility of scheduling a COPULUM wire installation. During a COPULUM installation, your technician will splice copper wire into your existing aluminum wire. The unique properties of copper will prevent the aluminum wire from expanding, sparking, or creating any other safety hazards.

AlumiConn Connectors

Your electrician may also recommend that you install AlumiConn connectors throughout your home’s wiring. These unique devices can be used to safely connect aluminum wires with copper ports. Using separate ports, AlumiConn connectors are able to dramatically reduce any electrical risks throughout the home. Since AlumiConn connectors are constructed out of a single piece of equipment, your electrician will be able to easily install these devices.

Home remodeling can be used to dramatically improve the appearance of many spaces throughout your home. If you are seeking home remodeling project that will boost your home’s style and appeal, you may want to talk to your electrician about hanging lights in your kitchen space . A new lighting design from an experienced residential electrician serving San Jose can bring new warmth, depth, and style to your kitchen. To achieve the best results from your kitchen remodel, you will want to research the latest kitchen remodeling trends. Here is a review of some of the most popular kitchen lighting trends for 2016.

Chandelier Pendants

As you are picking out new light fixtures for your kitchen, you will want to select pieces that offer both style and illumination. If you are seeking statement lighting that is perfectly on trend, you may want to consider chandelier pendants. These elegant light fixtures are designed to hang from the ceiling and bathe the entire kitchen space in soft, beautiful light.

Modern Centerpieces

If your kitchen renovation is more modern than traditional, you may want to go with a contemporary centerpiece that will become the focal point of your design. In 2016, many interior designers used show stopping pendant lights and chandeliers that were constructed from sleek and modern materials. An oversized pendant light that is made out of sheet metal or wood will make the perfect complement to your modern kitchen renovation.

Zone Lighting

When you research this year’s kitchen lighting trends, you may also come across the term zone lighting. Zone lighting is used to describe lighting that illuminates specific spaces throughout your kitchen. Your meal prep area, for example, is a zone that will require both task lighting and ambient lighting. Recessed lights are popular choices for illuminating different zones throughout the kitchen. An experienced electrical contractor can answer any questions that you may have about the different lighting options that are available for your kitchen this year.

When you are considering the purchase of a new home, you will want to schedule an electrical safety inspection with a residential electrician. In this video, you will learn more about why it is so important to hire an electrical contractor to inspect your electrical panel, grounding, and wiring. Homes that are more than 50 years old may contain dangerous and outdated electrical materials that no longer meet building codes.

During your electrical safety inspection , your electrician will carefully examine every part of your home’s electrical system. If your electrician discovers dangerous aluminum wiring or other hazardous materials, he can recommend the necessary repairs. By taking the time to inspect your future home’s electrical system, you can avoid many of the most common electrical safety hazards.