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

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 But these soon become outdated.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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Dalton’s Guide to Generator Safety

Monday, June 12th, 2023

Generators are a tricky subject. Everyone knows what they do and why they’re important, but it’s all theoretical until you open the system and actually take a look.

Don’t actually do that, though; opening your generator can ruin the warranty, be dangerous, and cause parts to malfunction. You’ll need to trust an expert and your own research to figure out just how this system works.

Why is it so important to learn how your generator works? Because the process requires the burning of fuel (like natural gas or gasoline) in order for electricity to be produced.

Just like a car, this process can be dangerous if done incorrectly. For instance, running a generator in your garage is a terribly dangerous idea and we’ll explain why down below.

For now, just make sure you have our number on hand in case you need generator services in Mount Vernon, IA. And keep reading to learn about our generator safety tips.

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Get Rid of that Knob and Tube Wiring!

Monday, May 8th, 2023

When it comes to the structure and general format of our homes, electrification is quite recent. We know, it might be impossible to imagine the world without our handy devices and our television sets, but back in the day, there was no electricity to be used!

People used to light their homes with oil lamps, walls and windows were drafty, and life was just a lot different. The invention of the “board game” and sing-along songs was due to the fact that people didn’t have as many fun devices or the internet to help with enjoying spare time.

However, at the turn of the 20th century, homes in America became electrified in rapid succession. This old form of wiring, known as knob and tube wiring, was the only way to set up a home for electricity. Unfortunately, this type of wiring is now considered a hazard and should be removed from your home by a licensed electrician in Cedar Rapids, IA.

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3 Electrical Things You Shouldn’t Do on Your Own

Monday, April 10th, 2023

DIY projects are great but there’s a bit of a misconception going around. Some people think that electrical repairs fit into the same category as painting or other home improvement projects, but that can be a dangerous way of thinking.

Electrical work is in a different category of a lot of home projects, particularly because of how dangerous it can be and also because of how important the final product is. You don’t want that new thousand-dollar phone or TV being shorted out or destroyed due to faulty wiring, right?

In that case, you should definitely call an electrician in Cedar Falls, IA. Only a licensed electrician will be able to handle the job that you have in mind, for as little a price as possible. And, don’t forget the fact that an electrician can handle this kind of work quickly so there’s less time spent patching your wall or trying to flip light switches to test things out.

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Electrical Fire Safety Tips for Homeowners

Monday, February 27th, 2023

Every home in the 21st century needs electricity. Even those tiny, off-the-grid homes, usually have some kind of generator that gives them the power to charge a phone or keep the lights on. Electricity is what makes our homes modern, they give us access to appliances and heating, automatic dishwashing and laundry, and much more.

However, an electrical system can be dangerous when it’s not installed or maintained properly. You’ve all seen these kinds of disasters in movies and television shows, where an exposed wire meets water or another exposed wire. There’s a reason why surge protectors and grounded outlets are so important, and we’re going to cover that topic today. It’s possible to keep your home safe from electrical fires and hazards, it just takes professional help. So, let’s discuss how an electrician in Marion, IA can help you with keeping your home safe.

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3 Common Electrical Panel Problems

Monday, February 6th, 2023

For a time, electrical panels were the new and improved version of a fuse box. Those old systems aren’t really used anymore and you should first make sure that your home has an electrical panel before looking into repairs. But for most of us, that’s already a reality.

Your electrical panel is the box that has all of the labeled circuits of your home in one location. It serves as a centralized hub, a place where you can always check to see if a certain electrical circuit is on or off, or you can even see how many circuits there are in terms of your power load. If all of the power of your house is going to one outlet, then you can identify which labeled part that is in your electrical panel for an upgrade.

But sometimes you’ll notice bad things, like corrosion or a broken switch, and those are signs that your electrical panel in Cedar Rapids, IA needs repairs.

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Old Wiring Needs to Be Replaced

Monday, January 16th, 2023

Have you ever heard of the term “knob and tube wiring?” It’s a dreaded term that home inspectors avoid like the plague and it’s something that can be the difference between a solid home purchase and a money pit.

As technology advances so does our understanding of how electrical systems work. Electricity hasn’t always been around, but when human beings started figuring out how to wire their homes for electrical power, they did so in ways that we would not deem safe today. Knob and tube wiring is an old and outdated method for wiring a home and it’s one that we’d argue needs to be replaced no matter how old or aesthetically pleasing your home might be.

And for some of the reasons we’re about to mention, this kind of electrical work should only be done by a licensed electrician in Cedar Falls, IA.

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This Halloween, Follow These Electrical Safety Tips

Monday, October 24th, 2022
orange-shimmery-lights

Are you one of those homeowners who love to decorate their home for the holidays, including Halloween? It’s such a fun and festive time of year, and we don’t blame you! But if you do decorate with lighting both inside and outside your home, we want to ensure you’re doing so as safely as possible.

Sure, Halloween is spooky, but it doesn’t have to be dangerous! Read on as we uncover some of our top electrical safety tips… and Happy Halloween!

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