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

Get Rid of that Knob and Tube Wiring!

May 8th, 2023 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce

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

April 10th, 2023 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce

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

February 27th, 2023 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce

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

February 6th, 2023 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce

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

January 16th, 2023 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce

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

October 24th, 2022 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce
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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Signs that You Need Rewiring in Your Home

March 28th, 2022 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce
hands-working-on-electrical-wiring

At Dalton, we’re more than simply an HVAC company. We have licensed and experienced plumbers, electricians, and fireplace experts on staff as well, to ensure that we are able to serve your whole home. That said, one of the most important jobs we perform for our customers is ensuring their homes are safe as possible, and a big part of this is checking their electrical loads.

This is especially important if you have an older home, which can have outdated wiring and problems that can lead to not only power outages, but safety hazards too. But, how do you know if your home, or rather your electrical system, is at risk of problems? Age alone isn’t always the best indicator, particularly if the previous homeowner made electrical upgrades. Read on as we uncover some of the top warning signs that your home might indeed need electrical rewiring, and give us a call if you notice any of these indicators!

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Is Your Home Asking for an Electrical Panel Upgrade?

January 3rd, 2022 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce
electrician-hands-working-on-wiring

Your home’s electrical system simply could not function without this very important component–the electrical panel. Of course, you might still have a fuse box instead, so your electrical system may still be functioning–but not as safely as possible (more on that below!)

The electrical panel serves as the “central station” for all the voltage coming through your wiring that gets separated into different circuits. Breaker switches in the panel help protect the electrical system from electric shorts in your home.

The thing is, no electrical panel will last forever–this is especially true with the increasing demands that homeowners put on their electric systems these days. The panels wear down as electrical demands in a house grow, and it’s not a great combination. Read on as we uncover some signs that your home is basically asking for an electrical panel upgrade:

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5 Signs Your Electrical Panel is Ready to Be Replaced

October 11th, 2021 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce
hand-holding-sparking-plug

Imagine if all the electricity in your home went directly to your refrigerator. You probably wouldn’t have a refrigerator for very long. Thankfully, modern homes have electrical panels to manage and distribute our supply of electricity. 

As you can guess, the electrical panel is a highly important system–it helps us run our homes and protects our appliances’ well-being. This makes it even more important to be on the alert for when your electrical panel is on its last leg.

Having an electrical panel that needs to be replaced can sometimes be tricky to diagnose. We are here to help. Let’s look at some of the warning signs you might be seeing so you can figure out if they are alerting you to an electric panel that needs to be upgraded. 

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How Do Your Electrical Outlets Protect You?

January 18th, 2021 | Written By | Reviewed By William Pierce

outletDid you know that your electrical outlets protect you? At least, this is definitely the case in modern homes. This is part of the reason it’s so important that if you live in an aging home, you have your electrical system inspected on occasion. Today’s electronics and electrical appliances put increased demand on these systems, which can lead to overloads, blackouts, or even electrical fires.

Even in a newer home, safety becomes a concern if, for some reason, your electrical system isn’t working as it should. Electrocution is another threat when it comes to electricity dangers, which is why it’s so vital that you have the right outlets in place—outlets that protect you. What outlets are we talking about? GFCI and AFCI outlets! Read on to learn more.

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