Electrical System Upgrades For Today’s Modern Lifestyle

Your electrical system may no longer be suitable for today’s more modern lifestyle, which includes a lot of many different technologically advanced and electricity dependent gadgets, machines, and furniture. If you’re still using an old electric system, now is the perfect time for you to undergo an upgrade. In fact, upgrading your electrical system is now required by local building departments in every home remodeling, renovation, or improvement project. The need to support today’s reliance on many electrically-powered appliances requires that every home should increase their electrical supply and improve their wiring system. But you don’t have to undergo a major upgrade. What’s important is that you keep your system updated so that it would efficiently support your electricity needs without causing fire and endangering you and your family’s safety. Here are some of the top things you’ll want to consider for your electrical system upgrade.

1. Look way ahead into the future – You may not need all the system upgrades now but after 3-5 years, when you’ve decided to buy a bigger washer or dryer or have added a couple of appliances to suit your needs, you’ll wish you would have gone through with the upgrade. Basically, you want to think way ahead into the future when planning for the upgrade.

Plan the upgrade not only for your current needs but for your future needs as well. Keep in mind that your electrical needs will not decrease. It only increases as time passes by because of the continuous technological advances being made. So be sure you and your home are prepared for these advances and improvements by planning a better and more efficient upgrade now.

2. Kitchen outlets – One specific area that is being plagued by modern appliances and equipment is the kitchen. New and advanced electrical machines and appliances to help make kitchen tasks and food preparation easier are being developed and manufactured on a daily basis. Thus, you might want to include adding a couple more outlets in the kitchen. And while you’re at it, you might want to ask your electrician to efficiently re-arrange the wiring system in your kitchen to ensure efficient flow of electricity on every outlet.

3. Additional and separate switches – If you have ceiling fans, it would be a good idea to separate the switch for your ceiling fan and lights in your electrical system upgrade. This will also help you better control your electric use and allow you to save electricity. Plus, you’ll be able to set which setting of the ceiling fan you feel most comfortable with as oppose to having only one setting. With its own switch, you can turn it on without turning on the light as well and adjust it to the right speed that will provide you with either a light or a strong breeze depending on what you need.

4. Control stations – To be able to better control the light and temperature setting in each room, you might want to install individual control stations for each section of your house. This will allow you to set a different lighting and temperature in the kitchen where you will be cooking and in the living room or entertainment room where the rest of the household are watching a movie. Different rooms need different settings so it helps if you’ll be able to effectively control them individually.

For more tips and information on electrical system upgrades contact Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros now.

Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros Myrtle Beach, SC  29577 843-353-6345 electriciansmyrtlebeach.com Helping you to ensure a safer and more advanced electrical system upgrade for your home.

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Prevent Electrical System Problems With Surge Protection

Power interference and other types of electrical system problems can be costly if you do not do anything to prevent these from happening. Although solving these problems is possible, you will have to be prepared to spend a huge amount of money for the necessary repairs and replacements. Fortunately, there is a cost effective way of preventing power interference and other electrical system problems: Surge Protection. But before you start with the prevention process, it would help if you learn about some of the common types of power interference:

1. Voltage Dips – This is what happens when you switch on high-draw devices and appliances, other devices that are plugged in or switched on receive reduced amount of energy. This is why your overhead lighting flickers when you switch on your washing machine or plug in the refrigerator. Voltage dips are not considered as huge problems, although they can cause quite a bit of an inconvenience when it becomes severe enough and is able to cut the power throughout your entire home.

2. Voltage Surge – Because this power interference is characterized by a momentary rise in voltage, it is often considered as the most serious form of power interference. The damage it can create can be ultimately destructive to your gadgets and appliances including your computer, TV’s, speakers, treadmills and others.

Aside from learning about the electrical system problems that you are facing, you also need to know about the appropriate solution to these problems. What is surge protection? Surge protection is the process of preventing an electrical power surge – regardless of the cause or the source – from reaching the home’s electrical panel and damaging every appliance that is plugged in and/or running. Currently available on the market today are two types of surge protection depending on the amount of voltage surges homeowners are looking to prevent.

1. Surge Suppressor – These come in the form of power strips and can handle small amounts of power surges, which could happen a hundred or more times per day. Although, homeowners may not always notice it, brief power surges happen more than once on a daily basis, especially when you switch on your appliances that need lots of energy to operate.

With a surge suppressor or power strip, the excess energy that your other devices and appliances are using is diverted elsewhere. The use of power strips also help protect your wiring insulation and devices and gadgets from the continuous effects of brief power surges.

2. Surge Arrestor – These are designed to prevent more severe power surges including those that can put a house on fire. A typical surge arrestor can protect against up to 20,000 volts and could effectively protect your switches, appliances, and circuit breaker box. They work to reduce power surges to below 600 volts.

Professionals suggest using both types of surge protection as they work most effectively alongside each other.

Learn more about how you can better take care of your electrical system by calling Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros.

Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros Myrtle Beach, SC  29577 843-353-6345 electriciansmyrtlebeach.com Ensuring you and your family’s safety with efficient and up to date electrical system services.

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Holiday Tips From Your Trusted Myrtle Beach Electricians

The holidays are just around the corner and while you are putting up your Christmas lights and other holiday decorations, you might want to keep these tips in mind from your professional Myrtle Beach electricians…. This is the time of year when everyone brings out their holiday decorations, which primarily consist of Christmas lights. These may come in various forms – rope lights and other types of colorful twinkling lights, singing and lighted Santa figurines, lights with sounds, etc. Obviously, most of today’s holiday decorations are electrically powered. This is why it is extremely important to observe proper precautions and safety measures when installing your holiday decorations.

Why Observe Safety And Precautions

According to recent reports, the holiday season is also a time of the year when the number of fire accidents increases. The risk of having an electrical fire is especially high during the holiday season because the string lights and rope lights you use present a high and serious risk for electrical fires and other hazards. Aside from preventing fires and accidents, observing precautions and safety allows your decorations to last throughout the season. Additionally, this helps in effectively taking care of and maintaining your lighting decorations and festive displays. Here are some tips from your trusted Myrtle Beach electricians that you might want to observe as you go through decorating your house for the season.

• Prevent your fresh tree from being a fire hazard by keeping it watered at all times while it is inside your house. If it gets dry, it could easily ignite by a minimal electrical short, excessive heat, or stray cigarette butts that are still lit.
• Check each strand of your rope or string lights before installing it. You want to make sure there are no damages on the cords, frays on all the ends, and/or connections that are loose.
• Use only rope and string lights with fused plugs. These offer an additional layer of protection by preventing sparks from coming out of the plug should a short circuit happen.
• If there are burned out bulbs in your rope or string lights, you want to replace them with bulbs of the correct wattage. To be sure, bring one of the old burnt out bulb in the hardware store when you buy replacement bulbs.
• Use insulated hooks when installing your Christmas lights. This help prevents short circuit. Stay away from using tacks, nails or screws as these do not do anything to protect the wires. They actually cause damage to the wires and, thus, increase the risk of a short circuit and electrical fire.
• Do not let wires and plugs running across the ground. They might get easily damaged by snow, water or debris. They could also get stepped on frequently and may even cause one to trip. Either place them in an elevated position or cover them more effectively to limit the damage to the wires.

For more tips and suggestions from professional Myrtle Beach electricians, call MB Electrician Pros now.

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Tips For Saving Money On Your Power Bill During The Holidays

  electrician For most of us, winter can be one of the busiest times of the year, what with relatives staying, holiday parties and treacherous weather to deal with. Dealing with an electrician isn’t normally something we think about during this time of year, but one of the tell tale signs of winter is an electric bill that seems to soar out of control. You will no doubt see the it reflected in your power bill as you put out that awesome Christmas light display, or run your heat more often. But as you start adjusting that HVAC system, here are a few tips from a qualified electrician to keep your energy bills a little lower…. Put Your Christmas Lights On A Timer. It seems more than ever that people are constantly outdoing one another with their extravagant light displays at Christmas. While we all love to see them, they do burn quite a bit of power during the month of December! There have been people who have advocated the discontinued use of Christmas lights during the holiday season in order to conserve energy, but instead of getting rid of that Christmas fun and cheer, you can put your lights on a timer that will run them only a few hours in the evenings after dark. These timers will prevent you from accidentally running the lights all night long and they’re very easy to operate. The use of LED lights will save you even more due to their energy efficiency. If you have enormous displays of Christmas lights, contact your local electrician to make sure they are running safely and efficiently. Set Your Thermostat At Lower Temps. Obviously, we’re talking about heat here. If it’s cold outside, then keep your heat just below where you would be comfortable indoors and wear a sweater if you get chilled slightly. Doing this will save a lot of money on your power bill! Likewise, if you’re still running air conditioning during the winter months, try to keep it as warm as you can, rather than letting it run constantly. Even if your air is running, you most likely have milder days, which will allow for less A.C. use. You will be surprised at what this will save on your electric bill. Use Cold Water For Laundry. This isn’t just in winter, but in all seasons. Cold water almost always gets your clothes just as clean as warm water, but without the extra energy needed to heat it. Washing in only cold water can save a tremendous amount that you will actually notice on your bill. It’s also a great way to conserve energy. If you need more ideas and tips to make your home more energy efficient, call your local electrician Myrtle Beach. Electrical contractors specialize in this field everyday and see the ways energy is wasted, as well as saved. They can help you with a home energy audit, which will let you learn about lots of small ways you can save money. We all would love to save money during the holiday season, so be sure and utilize these tips and you will be amazed at the difference it makes!

For more information about safe use of electricity this Christmas season, call Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros today!

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Top Tips To Upgrade Into Modern Electrical System

To ensure you and your family’s safety, it is important to keep your home’s electrical system updated. This aspect of your home, among all the other aspects of a house, is the most prone to wear and tear as it is being used 24/7. Hence, aside from having your local electrician go through your system and test and evaluate its performance, you also need to upgrade into a modern system every now and then. Before anything else, it is highly recommended that you call your local electrician to look at and evaluate your entire system as well as your power demands. According to experts, the best way to find out whether or not you need a system upgrade is for the electrician to use an amp meter to test the entire system while all your appliances are plugged in. If the service size resulted to more 75-80 percent, this means you need an upgrade.

Here are some tips to help you upgrade into modern electrical system

• Regularly test your Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GCFI’s) and Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI’s) at least every 90 days. Most of these that are available in the market today come with their testing kit. If the kit doesn’t work or if it turned out negative results, call in your local electrician at once and have him or her check your GFCI’s and AFCI’s.
• Go through the entire house and inspect every receptacle and switch. Make sure there are no burnt marks at the edges and that they are not loose. Also, check to see if you have a receptacle that is glowing or hot when touched. All these are signs that you need professional electrician assistance.
• Do not use an electrical cord that is worn or torn. Also, check to see if the plug’s ground is broken. These should no longer be used as they may cause problems to your electrical system. Throw them away to ensure no one in your household would think to use them.
• If you notice your lights suddenly dimmed or when it brightens intermittently, it means there is a potential problem on your electrical wiring. Another sign is when your lighting flickers, especially when you have not plugged in switched on one of your appliances that requires a large load to function. Call in professional electrician assistance as soon as you notice these signs.
• Keep in mind that extension cords should be used temporarily only. These are not developed for a permanent use inside the home. If you’re looking for permanency, have your electrician install additional receptacles in your house.
• If you plan to use a generator, make sure it is installed properly. For best results, call your electrician to ensure proper installation of your generator.

Obviously, you’ll need to work with a licensed electrician with regards to upgrading your electrical system. Call Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros now and speak with one of their experts.

Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros Myrtle Beach, SC  29577 843-353-6345 electriciansmyrtlebeach.com Ensuring your electrical system is upgraded and well maintained.

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Electrical Safety Tips For The Holidays

Christmas is just a few weeks away and that means the time has come to begin spreading holiday cheer to family and friends. Although decorating is a fun family activity, do not forget to put in place safety measures when setting up your Christmas ornaments especially your Christmas lights. These decorative lights use electricity and since you will use a lot of them, you might encounter some electrical problems. In worse cases, it can lead to house fires.  To help you avoid disasters, provided below are some electrical safety tips worth remembering.

1. Be sure to use tested and approved Christmas lights.
2. It is better to use smaller Christmas lights instead of those with bigger bulbs.
3. Make sure that you are using outdoor Christmas lights for decorating your home’s exterior. If you are uncertain, don’t hesitate to call an electrical contractor Myrtle Beach.
4. Don’t forget to plug all your outdoor electrical Christmas decorations into a GFCI.
5. Do not use nails or tacks to secure your Christmas lights. Use light clips or hooks for this purpose.
6. Turn off your Christmas lights before you go to sleep or leave home.
7. Christmas lights should not be placed on a metal tree because it can cause short circuits, electrical shock, and even fire.
8. Replace burnt out bulbs immediately
9. Do not attempt to alter or modify the lights.
10. Make sure that all lights, power boards, as well as extension leads are ideal for the intended use.
11. Place Christmas lights in locations that cannot be reached by kids.

Reminders For Indoor Christmas Lights

1. Use only the lights that serve their intended purposes, which in this case, need to be used indoors.
2. Keep them out of reach of children.
3. If you have a live Christmas tree, be sure to switch off and unplug your Christmas lights before watering the tree.

Reminders For Outdoor Christmas Lights

1. Use only outdoor lights when decorating your home’s exterior because they have weatherproof features.
2. Test Christmas lights before you install them.
3. Be sure to follow the user manual. Check if the Christmas lights that you want to use should have its transformer plug placed indoors. You should also find out if the lights are only for temporary use or can be used long-term.
4. You may also consider the use of solar powered or LED lights.
5. Do not forget to unwind the extension cords to prevent overheating.

If you are planning to use your old Christmas lights, be sure to check them. Unravel them first and inspect the plug as well as the leads and the lamp holders. There should be no exposed wires or any noticeable signs of damage. If you have any concerns or doubts about your Christmas lights, do not hesitate to call a reliable electrical contractor.

Follow these simple tips to minimize electrical problems and stay safe this holiday season. Call Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros for all your electrical needs.

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How To Prevent Your Christmas Lights From Causing A Circuit Overload

One excellent option when it comes to adding color and sparkle to the holiday season are Christmas lights. However, if you get too carried away, you can wind up overloading the circuit for the whole city just like Clark Griswold. Okay, perhaps not that extreme. But setting up holiday lights without giving a careful thought for the current rating of your circuit or perhaps a possible electrical overload can cause your circuit breaker to trip. Given that, expert electricians offer a few tips to help you safely install your Christmas lights and avoid circuit overloads. Buying Christmas Lights You will find various kinds of Christmas lights based on its colors, styles, sizes, and wattages. There are as many LED Christmas lights as incandescent lights in the market today but the former use only 20% of the amount of energy needed by the latter. LED lights will not just decrease your chances of short-circuiting your Christmas tree but they will likewise help you save money on your energy bill this December. The cost of using incandescent lights could be as much as 90 times that of LED lights. Number Of Christmas Lights To Plug Into One Outlet How many strands of Christmas lights you can plug into a single outlet depends on three important things. These are the wattage of the holiday lights, the circuit’s amperage, and the number of outlets that feed in a single circuit. You need to do some basic math to know how many lights you can plug into the outlets of your home safely. Although wattage can differ among various strands, most Christmas lights can operate at 120 volts. When you are calculating the strands’ amperage, you should multiply the wattage by 120. The next thing you have to do is to know how many strands you are allowed to plug into one circuit. You can work backward by using this equation: number of strands = circuit amperage/strand amperage. Whenever you are doing calculations, never forget to consider that you might have connected different strands of holiday lights together, which will multiply the overall amperage, which will then lead to the next common question. To know the number of strands you can plug into one outlet, you should reference the electrical panel to know which outlets feed into the exact same circuit. Overloading one of these electrical outlets may lead to circuit overloads, just like a cumulative overload on all the electrical outlets on the circuit. One final thing you need to remember according to an expert Myrtle Beach electrician is to never forget to consider if you are running anything else off that exact same circuit, like the floor lamps or a television that might be on the other side of the room. These extra electrical loads will affect the number of holiday lights that you can plug into a single circuit. Number of Christmas Light Strands You Can Connect Without Causing An Overload A lot of people are fond of connecting several strands of Christmas lights so they can cover their whole Christmas tree or huge sections of the exterior of their home. That is all well provided that you take into account all these connections when you are calculating your outlet’s electrical capacity. If you have linked six strands of 20 watts holiday lights together, you are actually feeding 120 watts into the outlet. Number of Outlets You Should Use To Plug The Lights Into It might seem efficient to string the strands of the holiday lights end to end and then plug the last strand into the outlet. But, if possible, it is better to spread the strands between many different outlets to decrease the electrical load that is placed on any single outlet and prevents circuit overload from Christmas lights. You should also plug your Christmas lights into power strips that are surge protected instead of outlets. These devices are made to protect home appliances from getting damaged from an electrical surge. Although your circuit breaker will assist in stopping an influx of power when detected, a surge protector can provide you with another layer of defense because it will protect appliances linked to the circuit from the damage that may be caused by voltage spikes. These occurrences could be caused by a circuit overload. The truth is unless you overload the circuit for the whole city just like Griswold, then you are most likely not at risk of circuit overload from holiday lights. Most circuits at home can carry up to 20 amps and that means you can plug at least 90 strands of LED lights into one circuit before you reach out the tripping point. But, it is also an excellent idea to know how the electrical load you are putting on your electrical outlets.

Call MB Electrician Pros for all your electrical needs.

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