Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Electrician’

5 Electrical Issues That Heat Up in Summer

Monday, July 28th, 2025

When temperatures soar, your home’s electrical system works overtime. From air conditioning units running nearly non-stop to increased use of fans, refrigerators, and outdoor lighting, summer can put serious strain on your electrical setup. Unfortunately, this added demand can also bring hidden issues to the surface—sometimes with dangerous results.

To stay safe and avoid frustrating outages, it’s important to be proactive. Here are five common electrical issues that tend to heat up during summer—and why it’s smart to call in a qualified electrician in Cedar Falls, IA at the first sign of trouble.

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Summertime Electrical Problems? Here’s What’s Going On

Monday, July 28th, 2025

Summer is a season of sunshine, cookouts, and family fun—but it can also bring a wave of electrical problems you may not expect. As temperatures climb, your home’s electrical system works harder than almost any other time of year. More power is drawn to keep your space cool and comfortable, and that extra demand can strain older wiring, outdated panels, or neglected circuits.

If you’re noticing flickering lights, tripping breakers, or unusual behavior from appliances, it’s time to pay attention. You need a reliable electrician in Des Moines, IA! Here’s a look at some of the most common electrical issues homeowners face in the summer—and why you shouldn’t ignore them.

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Is the Heat Taking a Toll on Your Electrical System?

Monday, July 28th, 2025

As summer heats up, so does the demand on your home’s electrical system. Air conditioners run longer, appliances work harder, and electronics stay plugged in around the clock. It’s no surprise that many homeowners start experiencing electrical issues right when the temperatures peak.


If your lights are flickering, breakers are tripping, or your AC is acting up, don’t brush it off as just “summer quirks.” Get help from a qualified electrician in Cedar Rapids, IA. These can be signs of bigger problems that could affect your comfort, safety, and energy costs. Let’s take a closer look at what might be going on—and what you can do about it.

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5 Excellent Electrical Upgrades Your Home Might Need

Friday, October 25th, 2024

Cedar Rapids is home to some of the most beautiful old homes on the market. We’re not talking about colonial homes that you might find in New England, but you’ll find plenty of old ranch, victorian, and bungalow-style houses that are now starting to get up there in age. These homes can be older than our grandparents and great-grandparents, with the kind of style and beauty that makes them feel like home.

However, while their style might get better with age, their electrical systems surely don’t. An old bungalow or ranch-style house from the 1950s is going to feel like home until you try to plug anything in and realize that the electrical system is very outdated. This is where we come in.

We’d like to discuss five good reasons to call an electrician in Cedar Rapids, IA. If you’re looking to keep the old aesthetics of your home but with a modern sense of living, then you’ve come to the right place!

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A Reminder: Remove That Knob and Tube Wiring!

Monday, July 22nd, 2024

Knob and tube wiring is a serious concern that we’ve discussed on our blog before. Many homes in our area are older (which is one good reason why we love them so much) and older homes can be the victims of subpar wiring and fire hazards.

Luckily, our team has an electrician in Cedar Rapids on standby to help homeowners address their knob and tube wiring issues, as well as to support them upgrading their home electric grids into the 21st century.

Today, we’d like to focus on the issue of knob and tube wiring specifically. We want to talk about what it is, why we advise customers to get it removed, and what can be so dangerous about it. Then, when you’ve got an idea that your knob and tube wiring needs to be replaced, you can call us!

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5 Electrical Issues to Get Fixed

Monday, June 3rd, 2024
electrical-panel

Electrical problems can range from minor annoyances to serious safety hazards. Understanding the common issues and knowing when to seek professional help is crucial. Whether you’re dealing with flickering lights or a burning smell, addressing electrical problems promptly can prevent further damage and secure the safety of your home or business. Here are five critical electrical issues that should be fixed as soon as possible.

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It’s Finally Time to Ground Your Outlets

Monday, March 25th, 2024
An example of a beautiful southern Victorian home in Georgia.

Ensuring that your electrical outlets are properly grounded is a crucial aspect of home safety. If you’ve been living in a house with ungrounded outlets, also known as two-prong outlets, it’s time to update your wiring installation in Johnston to meet modern standards. Here’s why hiring our team to ground your outlets should be prioritized and what steps you need to take to achieve this essential upgrade.

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Panel Vs. Fuse Box: What’s the Difference?

Monday, February 26th, 2024

An electrician would easily know the answer (or answers) to this question, but it’s not exactly obvious to every homeowner. Some homes have fuse boxes, and others have electrical panels, and understanding the differences between these two systems can seem like a nightmare without a trustworthy source of information.

Well, we’re happy to be your electrical authority for questions like these, and we’ll simply answer your questions down below or over the phone if you’d prefer. Yes, there are some significant differences between a fuse box and an electrical panel, and your home is more likely to function better if you have one of these systems over the other.

Which system is better? Why are we even comparing these types of systems? The answers will be clear down below. Just make sure you call our electricians in Cedar Falls for help with your electrical panel or fuse box.

The Electrical Core of Your House

The fuse box or electrical circuit breaker of your house is the “core.” What we mean by that is every electrical appliance in your home must draw its power from this place which comes from outside of your home. Unless you have solar panels or some other kind of generator creating an inflow of electricity, the panel or fuse box likely receives electricity from your municipality or the power plant.

You just won’t find a home without this kind of thing. Even garages and sheds can have their own circuit breaker boxes or fuse boxes to direct the electrical flow somewhere in the building. They’re a requirement for modern-day living and you need to have one of these in your home. So what’s the difference?

The Invention of the Fuse Box

When electrical appliances were first invented, houses needed a way to limit the amount of electricity that came through the wires and into your devices. Too much electricity could start a fire or short circuit appliances, which was not a good idea. So, fuse boxes were invented to direct the flow of electricity from one central place in your home through a fuse.

If there was too much electricity going through the fuse, it would melt down or blow, which is where the term blown fuse comes from. This was a simple and smart way to monitor your home electricity. But these soon become outdated.

Electrical Panels

Electrical panels, or circuit breakers, do everything that a fuse box does without the need for a blown fuse to stop electricity from flowing. It has its own electrical switch which detects an overloaded circuit and automatically disconnects the power, stopping the chance of a broken device or fire hazard. These units can be easily reset without the need for additional fuses like an old fuse box would.

Additionally, you can just flip the circuit back manually on your panel to get power back on to wherever it was shut down. Electrical panels are just a safer, more modernized version of the fuse box which uses less materials and can monitor a much greater flow of electricity.

After this blog post, we hope we made it clear that your old fuse box could use a major upgrade to a circuit breaker panel.

At Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces, Inc., your comfort is our promise! To set up an appointment in the Cedar Falls area, give us a call at the number above, email customerservice@daltonphc.com or schedule an appointment online.

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A Guide to Knob and Tube Wiring

Monday, August 28th, 2023

If you’re reading this blog, you’re likely one of our many customers who have discovered knob and tube wiring in their homes. Not only is this ancient technology something that is too old to reliably use, but it’s also a safety hazard. Even insurance companies can hike up their premiums when they discover you’ve got knob and tube wiring in your old home.

So, what is it about this kind of wiring that makes people so nervous? And why is it such a big deal to get it replaced? Well, in order to understand the answers to these questions, we’ve got to do a deep dive on what knob and tube wiring is and how it’s still in homes across the country. And then, when you feel confident that you need the problem addressed, you can call our team for an electrician in Des Moines, IA.

Only a licensed electrician should handle the removal and replacement of knob and tube wiring when it’s found in homes.

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Big Electrical Changes in 2023

Monday, August 14th, 2023

If it’s been a few years since you’ve hired an electrician in Waterloo, IA, then you might be surprised by some industry-wide changes that have been sweeping the country.

Most, if not all of them have been good changes, both for manufacturers and consumers, but they’re still a shock to many people who have been operating with the same technology for decades.

For instance, incandescent light bulbs have recently been banned, as shoppers try to figure out the specifics and information behind the new, longer-lasting LED light bulbs. Also, insurance rates have started to change as wildfires and heatwaves have become more common. An electrical problem could have serious ramifications on especially hot and dry days now.

So, let’s discuss some major electrical changes in 2023, and what you can expect on your end.

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