Useful Wiring Guide From Your Myrtle Beach Electrical Contractor

Wiring and other electrical repairs should be left to professionals such as your local licensed electrical contractor. On the other hand, there will be times when you need to do it on your own, particularly in cases when the electrician will not be able to come to your aid as soon as possible. This is likely to happen when the electrician has another client he is attending to or is located farther away from your location. This is why it is important that homeowners also learn some basic skills in wiring and electrical repairs. As a result, you will be able to easily do basic electrical repairs without the need for professional assistance.

Here are some professional wiring tips from a local electrical engineer that will find helpful.

1. Neatly uncoil cable wires

Plastic-sheathed cable wires often come in coils. Pulling the cable wires out of the center of the coil will result in kinks and, thus, make it difficult for you to use the cable wires. An easy way to prevent the kinks is to lift a small number of wires from the center of the coil. Toss the wires far away across the floor and while you are walking along the length of the cable that you threw, work to straighten it out. Thus, when you use the cable wires, they are already straightened out. Do not uncoil all the wire because it will be difficult for you to return it back and keep it in storage.

1. Organize the electrical box

A Myrtle Beach electrical contractor will agree that an unorganized electric box is highly dangerous and is at risk of causing fire. You should know that it is important to keep the electric box as organized as possible to prevent any damage not only to the electric box but also to the entire electric system. If you have done several wiring projects and electrical repairs, your electrical box will surely look like a disorganized mess. To help you organize your electrical box, opt for neatly arranging the wires and grouping them together into bare ground wires, neutral wires, and hot wire. Keep the same wires together with the use of a long pigtail to connect them. Also, use a wire connector cap so you can label and easily identify the group of wires.

1. Test the wires

Even if you knew that you had turned off the power, you should still make it a habit of testing the wires before you do any work on them. To test the wires, use a non-contact voltage detector. It is highly recommended that you check all the wires in the box or the area where you are working and not just the wires that you will be doing work on. Also, it helps if you test and ensure that the tester is working by using it on a live wire first. If you do not have a non-contact voltage detector, you can purchase them in local hardware stores and home depots.

1. Identify and label wires before installing

Make it easier for you in the future by labeling the wires before you install them. This will prevent you from wasting lots of time figuring out which wires are which when the time comes that you need to make a repair. There are several ways to label the wires but it is highly recommended that you use non-label coding to mark the wires. These do not fall off or fade away, unlike ordinary labels, when covered with tapers and painters.

There are some electrical repairs that you can do on your own, but when in doubt, you need to call in the experts. Call Myrtle Beac Electrician Pros.

Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 843-353-6345 electriciansmyrtlebeach.com

http://electriciansmyrtlebeach.com/useful-wiring-guide-electrical-engineer/

Why Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros Recommends CFL Lighting

To help conserve energy and become more energy efficient, Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros the electrician recommends the use of CFL lighting. CFL means Compact Fluorescent Lamps, which use less energy to create lighting that is as bright as previous light bulbs that use a lot of electricity to create the same quality of lighting. The reason CFL uses less energy is that it only needs a small amount of energy to ignite the mix of gases inside the bulb. This creates high energy invisible light, which becomes visible after it has been absorbed by the fluorescent coating.

Benefits of using CFL light bulbs as explained by electrician professionals

According to experts, CFL light bulbs produce the same amount and quality of lighting as the average incandescent lamps. However, CFL lighting use 75% less electricity and, thus, could last far longer than the average light bulbs. In fact, reports show that CFL light bulbs have a lifespan that is 10 times longer than an ordinary light bulb. The energy savings and its long lifespan are probably the primary reasons why many homeowners are opting to switch to CFL light bulbs even though they are more costly than ordinary light bulbs. For these homeowners, the savings on utility bills that they gain from using CFL light bulbs are more than the additional dollars they would have to pay to make the switch. What makes it more beneficial is it has a longer lifespan so they wouldn’t have to frequently replace their light bulbs. Professional electricians are continuously suggesting the use of CFL light bulbs to various neighborhoods and communities, particularly those with residents who are concerned with the environment and are looking for ways to help conserve natural resources and save money from your monthly utility bills. Choosing the right CFL Lightbulbs There are several considerations you will have to make to ensure switching to CFL lighting fixtures is the right choice for you. Here are some of them:

• Amount of light the bulbs emit
• lighting needs
• Size of the bulb
• Color temperature
• Brightness

Keep in mind that light output and brightness are measured in lumens in CFL lighting while ordinary lighting use watts to measure light output and brightness.

If you’re not sure how to choose the right CFL light bulbs to replace your current lighting fixtures with, contact Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros the electrician now!

Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros Myrtle Beach, SC  29577 843-353-6345 electriciansmyrtlebeach.com

http://electriciansmyrtlebeach.com/myrtle-beach-electrician-recommends-cfl/

Electricians on Storm Damaged Electrical Wiring

The recent hurricane, Florence, has swept and damaged residential and commercial properties throughout the state. Residents cannot ignore how ravaging Florence can be, and you are lucky to have little to no damage to your house. However, if you are affected by a power interruption, you might be worried about the performance of your air conditioning unit later on.

How do you know if you have electrical damage on your air conditioner?

If a storm has triggered a power surge in your house causing a trip in your breaker, you probably want to have your air conditioner up and running immediately. But before you switch it ON, electricians suggest that it is necessary to look for indications of electrical damage to avoid more damage. The very first thing you need to do is turn your air conditioning system off at the thermostats, then go to your electrical panel and turn the switch for the ac system to "off" and after that back to "on." This resets the external breaker. Though it might be difficult with the hot and damp temperature levels we experience following a storm, you must then wait half an hour to turn your thermostat back on. This time enables your air conditioner’s internal breaker to reset. This cannot happen if the thermostat is signaling for cooling. After half an hour, turn your thermostat back to cool. Your air conditioner must turn back on, however, if it does not then you might have electrical damage.

Inspect for other external circuits

If you discover that more of your external circuits will not switch back on, then you likely have electrical damage that goes beyond your air conditioner, which can happen from a strong power surge caused by the hurricane. Electricians also warn that if a breaker keeps tripping, you should not try to turn it back on immediately. These breakers are created to safeguard your structure and circuitry by shutting down the circulation of electrical power.

Be sure to call Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros to have your electrical wiring inspected before and after a storm.

Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 843-353-6345 electriciansmyrtlebeach.com

http://electriciansmyrtlebeach.com/electricians-storm-damaged-electrical-wiring/

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.

Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 843-353-6345 electriciansmyrtlebeach.com

http://electriciansmyrtlebeach.com/electrical-safety-tips-for-the-holidays/

Home Electrical Inspections By Myrtle Beach Electricians

If you are house hunting and planning to buy anytime soon, you will want to have the new home inspected to uncover any problems. We often think to get a general home inspection for the basics, but we rarely think about hiring a qualified Myrtle Beach electricians to conduct an electrical inspection. It is highly advised that you have this done even BEFORE you buy; it will most certainly save you money in the long run. These inspectors can also advise you or what it may cost to repair the problem, should they find any issues. All these things will go a long way in helping you make an informed decision before buying a new home. Myrtle Beach electricians will do a thorough inspection of all the wiring, electrical outlets, and appliances along with anything else that involves keeping you safe. After the general home inspector does his initial evaluation, he may recommend that an electrician come in to see about the concerns. Perhaps it’s old or worn out wiring that needs to be updated, or exposed wiring that poses a safety issue. A professional should handle these things. These days, it is almost always required by mortgage companies that you have thorough home inspections before closing the sale. While every inspection is important and necessary, an electrical inspection is especially important due to the risks to you and your family if things are working properly. There are some simple things you can do, especially if you’re buying an older home. Begin replacing any old light fixtures as you can to upgrade the home. Many Myrtle Beach electricians will check for any issues in the wiring of old fixtures. It’s also a good idea to replace all receptacles and electrical outlets if the home is older. Plan ahead if you use a lot of electronics such as TV’s and computers or other large equipment, and ask about getting the best surge protection possible to prevent any lightning damage to your home’s electrical systems. Nobody wants the nightmare of having their electronics fried during a thunderstorm! While it might seem trivial to do these inspections when everything in the home seems fine, hiring a Myrtle Beach electrician is a wise investment into the safety of your family. You can’t be too careful when it comes to your home’s electrical wiring!

If you have any other questions or comments, please leave them below. We will be happy to help!

Myrtle Beach Electrician Pros Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 843-353-6345 electriciansmyrtlebeach.com

http://electriciansmyrtlebeach.com/electrical-inspections-myrtle-beach-electricians/