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.

Just like your home, your place of work needs to have functional electrical wiring in San Jose. In many cases, your commercial building will actually require much more electricity than your residential home, so it pays to choose a commercial electrician with experience in this area of the industry. This kind of contractor is especially important when you’re starting a remodeling project. Checking in with an electrician gives you the opportunity to check your outlets, make upgrades to your wiring, and enjoy a safer and more efficient space. Continue reading to find out how an electrician can help with your commercial remodeling.

No matter how big or small your commercial renovation is going to be, it could come with significant changes. You might need outlets in different places, and you might take the chance to address minor electrical problems that have come up in the past. Your commercial electrician can help you out with rewiring services, safety inspections, and upgraded fixtures and appliances. These services make your commercial building more energy efficient, so you save money for your business. Modern electrical upgrades will also reduce your risk of short circuits and electrical fires, so you can keep your employees and customers safer.

Electrical wiring in San Jose won’t last forever, and it can cause safety problems as it starts to deteriorate. If you’re having trouble with your electrical systems or you want to get ahead of the game and enjoy better efficiency and safety, talk to your commercial electrician about electrical rewiring. There are some signs that indicate you’re in more dire need than you might’ve realized, so you should know what they are. Taking on dangerous electrical projects can result in serious injury if you’re not a professional, so work with your electrician and read on for FAQs about rewiring services for businesses.

How does rewiring help?

Electrical rewiring offers some valuable benefits to your business. Rewiring improves the efficiency of your electrical system, so you can expect your appliances to work better, and you might even save some money thanks to the increase in efficiency. This process also makes the business safer by replacing old, worn out wires with brand new ones.

Do I need rewiring services?

If you keep coming across electrical problems and none of your solutions have worked, then you might need rewiring services. Keep an eye out for switches and outlets that don’t get enough power, especially if there’s no power coming through at all. Older buildings should also be rewired to make sure the wiring used is acceptable based on today’s standards—the aluminum wiring that may be in older buildings is no longer used. You might also need electrical rewiring if you don’t have enough outlets or if your electrical panel is malfunctioning.

Can I rewire my own electrical system?

Some people underestimate how dangerous it can be to work with electricity. One wrong move can damage your system or cause injury via electrical shock. Unless you are trained as a commercial electrician, you should not try to perform rewiring services by yourself. Only trained professionals should take on this task, for the sake of personal safety and the quality of your electrical systems. Play it safe and find an experienced specialist to work with in your area.

The last thing an electrician serving San Jose wants to see is an overloaded electrical outlet, and it can pose a serious threat to you and your family, as well. If you want to avoid an electrical fire, you need to know how to use your outlets properly. Watch this video on recognizing the risk of overloaded outlets.

Outlets are only meant to handle so much, and overloading them can be extremely dangerous. An overloaded outlet or power strip can generate enough heat to cause an electrical fire. Look at the label on the back of the power strip to find out how much of a load it can handle, and choose one with a trip mechanism for safety benefits. Never daisy chain two power strips together, and don’t plug an extension cord into a power strip, either. Practice these safety tips to avoid overloading your outlets.

Home renovations serving San Jose make your house more valuable to you and anyone who might purchase it in the future if you decide to sell. You have to be careful when you renovate though, because you don’t want to mess with your electrical system without the help of your electrician. It might be the right time to upgrade your electrical panel when you remodel, and depending on how extensive your renovations are, you might need to decide where to put your outlets. Never work with a sketchy electrical contractor, and avoid doing so by asking for references. Here’s a look at the questions you should ask your electrician about your remodeling project.

Should I upgrade my electrical panel?

If you’re renovating your home because it was built a long time ago and you need to bring it into modern times, then this is the time to upgrade your electrical panel, as well. Older electrical panels aren’t as reliable or efficient as current models, so you could be wasting electricity without even knowing it. What’s more, malfunctioning models pose a threat to your safety. If you’re in the planning phase of remodeling, talk to your electrician and see if you should upgrade your electrical panel.

Where should my outlets be?

It’s aggravating when electrical outlets are located in inconvenient spots, and it’s even worse when your wire falls just short of reaching where it needs to reach. When you remodel your house, consult your electrician to see if you should add new outlets and where you should put them.

Do you have references?

You should ask the right questions about your remodeling project itself to make sure you’re on the same page with your electrician, but you should also ask questions about the electrician. References from past jobs can vouch for the quality of the electrician’s work, and these people are likely to be honest about their experiences. Don’t be afraid to ask your electrician about his or her experience, as these questions will help you choose the one that will help you through your remodeling project.

Your home is your sanctuary, where you can relax after work or hang out with your kids. However, at some point you might decide to sell it and move to a different house. In this case, you should do anything you can to make your home more valuable so you can get a better return on investment. Some people choose a full home renovation serving San Jose, while others go for smaller projects. Upgrading your breaker box and electrical outlets can help, so read on and see how else you can boost your home value with electrical upgrades .

Upgrading your electrical system makes it safer, more convenient, and more efficient, so it can boost your home value from all angles. A potential buyer will be turned off if he or she hears that you have regular problems with your electricity. In this case, home rewiring can save the day and help you make the sale for the price point that you want. New circuits are also more efficient than the ones they’ll replace, and new dedicated circuits can power heavy-duty appliances. Every electrical upgrade you make leaves less work for the people moving in, which makes your house more appealing and valuable.

A lot of the homes that we live in today were built a long time ago, which means the electrical outlets and circuit breakers might be a bit outdated. The good news is that all it takes is a call to your residential electrician in San Jose to make the upgrade. An outdated electrical panel puts your home and family in unnecessary danger and can cause blackouts, so you might not be getting the power you need for your appliances. Read ahead and find out how you can avoid the inconveniences of an outdated electrical panel.

Protect Your Home

Although you would call it more of a catastrophe than an inconvenience, outdated electrical panels could lead to a house fire. Electrical fires can be deadly, and they can destroy your home. When your panel stops distributing electricity the right way, you run the risk of experiencing one of these fires. Replacing your electrical panel will reduce your risk for electrical fires, as the panel will do a better job of safely and effectively distributing electricity. Don’t try to replace the electrical panel on your own though, as this is a job for an experienced electrician.

Minimize Power Outages

An old electrical panel won’t be as good at its job as a newer model. If your electrical panel is ancient, you might deal with frequent blackouts. Power outages are more than just inconvenient, and your frustration will only continue to mount as they happen more and more frequently. The food in your refrigerator could go bad, or you might miss a crucial part of the football game you were watching. If this happens to you, talk to your electrician about upgrading to a newer and better electrical panel to avoid these problems.

Get the Power You Need

Maybe you aren’t experiencing full power outages, but you notice that circuits are tripping when you’re only using a couple of appliances. This is also a sign of an outdated electrical panel, but your electrician can fix it with a simple replacement so you get the power you need.

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.