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How Do Surge Protectors Work?

March 19, 2020

A surge protector is more than just a power strip to give you additional useable outlets; it is an affordable way to protect your electronics from random power surges that can cause permanent electrical damage. Here is how surge protectors or surge suppressors work to protect your appliances and how to use them safely to prevent fires. What Is a Power Surge? To understand how surge protectors work, you need to understand what power surges really are. A power surge is simply an increase in the amount of voltage flowing through electrical devices that exceeds the standard voltage level of...

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What You Need To Know About LED Lighting

March 10, 2020

Over the past couple of decades, LED lights have become increasingly popular. Short for light-emitting diodes, LED bulbs are found in everything from standard light fixtures to battery-operated decorative string lights. If you are thinking about using LED lights, read our in-depth guide to learn everything you need to know about this interesting innovation. How Do LED Lights Work? LED lights are a type of semiconductor light bulb, which means they create light by passing an electrical current through a material. Manufacturers of LED lights start by dipping certain materials into an agent that slightly adjusts their electrical properties. Then,...

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How to Fix a Smoking Electrical Outlet

March 1, 2020

Have you ever glanced at an outlet and noticed wisps of smoke coming from it? That’s an obvious sign that something is definitely not right with your electrical system. In some cases, a smoking outlet is completely harmless, but in other situations, it can be downright dangerous. Here’s what you can do to address the problem as quickly and safely as possible. Take Precautions in Case of Fire The first thing you should do is locate all your family members and pets, and ensure they can leave the house quickly and easily if needed. This step is important because in...

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Benefits of Owning a Whole-Home Backup Generator

February 16, 2020

When a power outage occurs, your home is transformed from a modern marvel into an ancient relic. Everything from lights to electronics to appliances suddenly comes to a halt as you quickly try to redo your plans to accommodate this significant inconvenience. If you have a whole-home generator when a power outage strikes, though, everything changes. No Interruptions One of the major benefits of a whole-home generator is that it activates the moment it senses a power outage. Unlike other methods, such as candles and flashlights, which have to be found before they can be used, a whole-home generator works...

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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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