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How Long Does It Take to Become a Licensed Electrician?

January 11, 2020

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries regulates the licensing of electricians. To pursue this career, you must complete the trainee/apprenticeship phase before testing for a Journeyman Electrician Certificate. This process takes about four years, but it can lead to a rewarding, lifelong career. Requirements to Become a Licensed Electrician After applying with the state to become a trainee, you’ll spend the next four years completing necessary classes and on-the-job training. This will include the following: 8,000 hours of work experience 96 hours of classroom training Pass the Journeyman exam Approximately four years of full-time work is needed to...

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5 Tips for Holiday Lights and Electrical Safety

December 18, 2019

The holiday season is just about to usher in the frenzy to get our homes decorated. Soon, millions of Americans are expected to purchase and install holiday lights and Christmas trees in their homes. This is, however, without significant risk, as hundreds of houses normally go up in flames during the holiday season. To keep your family safe, here are five tips for holiday lights and electrical safety. This also makes electrical safety easier to obtain. 1. Start With a Plan Everything you do regarding your home holiday decorations should revolve around a well-defined goal and plan. Having a strategy...

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Common Causes of a Tripped Circuit

November 19, 2019

Many people are familiar with the fact that if a circuit is overloaded, the circuit breaker will trip. However, they’re often not aware of the many other possible causes behind a tripped circuit. Two other common causes are short circuits and ground faults. Short Circuit In addition to causing the circuit to trip, a short circuit might come with sparks, smoke and popping sounds. Short circuits occur when an active wire touches a neutral wire. This overloads the circuit, forcing it to trip the breaker in order to protect you and your property. What causes short circuits?: Animals chewing on...

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Why “Loose” Electrical Outlets Are Dangerous and How to Fix Them

October 21, 2019

When you plug in an appliance, does the entire outlet shift? That’s an annoying problem. It’s also dangerous. Because loose outlets can disrupt the flow of electricity, they have the potential to cause arcing, a serious fire hazard. Fortunately, simple fixes for loose outlets can help improve the safety of your home. Floating Outlets Every electrical receptacle in your home should sit flush with the wall. If the receptacle isn’t lined up right, the cover plate might be all that’s holding it in place. The plate alone isn’t strong enough to hold the receptacle still when you plug in and...

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Top 5 Electrical Dangers to Avoid

September 14, 2019

Electrical wiring and related components can present some hazards in your home. Some of these common risks can eventually lead to an electrical accident. If you want to protect yourself and others from electrical dangers, here are a few hazards to be aware of on your property. 1. Outdated Wiring Outdated or poor wiring can lead to fires. That’s why you may want to have a technician from a company like in Seattle inspect your wiring every year or two. Homes that are more than 30 years old require annual inspections to determine which wires need to be fixed or...

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How Often Should I Replace My Electric Appliances for Maximum Efficiency?

August 19, 2019

Each of your electrical appliances has a useful lifetime. Eventually, a machine could stop operating reliably or efficiently. believes that replacing your appliances after they get old could be a great investment in your home. New appliances could operate more energy efficiently and end up saving you a lot of money. Keeping track of the age of your appliances is important for the functionality of your home. Dishwashers Most dishwashers have a lifetime of about eight to 10 years. Many units can experience small problems that can be fixed before they have to be replaced. Generally, if you hear loud...

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Importance of Whole Home Surge Protection

July 10, 2019

We do a lot of things to keep us safe. One form of protection that you may have neglected is to safeguard your home from power surges. Surges can send a significant amount of energy through your home’s electrical system, and this can lead to a dangerous situation. Fortunately, is equipped to help you prevent this from happening with a whole home surge protection. What Surges Can Do Your home and all the wires and appliances that are plugged into it are designed to handle a certain voltage. When that voltage is exceeded, damage can occur. Computers, refrigerators, ovens, alarm...

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Why Do-It-Yourself Electrical Work Isn’t the Wisest Choice

June 10, 2019

At Brennan Electric in Seattle, we understand the appeal of DIY projects. Why pay someone else to accomplish a task you can do with some spare supplies and your own two hands? That being said, DIY electrical work isn’t really the same as building a bookshelf or changing your oil. If you take pride in being handy and enjoy repairing things around the house, that’s great! Just save your talents for leaky faucets and painting projects. There are some good reasons why you should leave electrical work to the professionals. Electrical Current Is No Laughing Matter No matter how tough...

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What to Look for In An Air Conditioning Company

April 20, 2016

For most of us, a house represents the largest financial investment we’ll ever make. That means finding a company to handle your AC needs is of utmost importance, as well. The company you pick will be your partner in choosing and maintaining your home’s HVAC unit, which has consequences you might not have thought about. Since cooling and heating can account for almost half of a typical homeowner’s energy costs, making the right decision can have an impact on your financial well-being, in addition to the comfort of you and your family. For years, people in have trusted for their...

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Should I Continue Repairing My AC Unit?

April 20, 2016

We have a lot of customers ask us if they should continue repairing their air conditioners, or if they should just go ahead and replace them. We tell them to consider the following factors: How old is your unit? After a unit has been in use for 10-15 years, it’s time to replace. By this age, parts start to break down and air quality is compromised. How often are you repairing your AC unit? If you’re repairing your air conditioner often, it could mean the unit needs to be replaced. Think about how much money you’ve spent on repairs and...

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