Electrician’s tips in quickly labeling a breaker panel

Importance of labeling a circuit breaker

Breaker panels should be labelled for easy operation when needed. (Photo Credits)

Accurately breaking an electrical breaker panel can be one of the things to do around the house that gets pushed to the bottom of the list each and every day. That is until one would need to turn off something from the main panel, and would have to go through the inconvenience of powering off everything around the house just to find out the correct breaker switch that needs to be turned off.

Popular Mechanics has highlighted the advantages of a fully labeled electrical panel. In its article it also emphasized the reason why this should be done as soon as possible. Builders and Contractors         

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“When the power goes out in just one section of your home, the likely culprit is a tripped circuit breaker. Usually, looking inside the breaker box will show you one tripped breaker switch that has flipped and is pointing in a different direction than the others. But by labeling your breaker box by room and area, you’ll confirm which breaker it is that tripped, without playing the guessing game and resetting everything.”

Read more here.

Labeling the breaker

Home design and improvement website Hunker has shared an easy to follow step-by-step procedure in labelling a home electrical panel. In its article, it mentioned that if the panel has been labelled before but the labeling has been outdated, then it is best to fully erase the labels first so as to avoid confusion. Electricians           

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“Panel indexing works best with two people. Station one person at the panel and assign the others the duty of moving around the house and testing devices. Use your cell phones to communicate, if necessary. Since this procedure involves turning off all individual circuits, it’s best to work in the daytime when there is window light to assist you.”

The rest of the tips can be found here.

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Home improvement website The Spruce also shared some advice on creating a breaker panel circuit directory. Apart from providing easy to follow guidelines, the article also shared some tips that would be helpful in labelling the electrical panel.

“Finding circuits that aren’t marked is simple: Turn on anything you can, then switch off each breaker one at a time and see what turns off in the house. With large appliances, a digital clock or interior light on the appliance is an easy giveaway. To check outlets, use a non-contact voltage tester, the safest and easiest device for checking for power. Just stick the probe of the tester into each outlet slot; if the tester lights up, the outlet still has power. Note everything that’s on the circuit and transfer your findings to the directory or the individual circuit. “

Check out the rest of the tips here.

Creating a panel directory can indeed minimize inconveniences in case there will be instances that power supply in certain parts of the home need to be turned off.

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Modern Light Switches

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Signs of a major electrical problem

Brewing electrical issues

It may look all normal but the trouble with electrical issues is they prop up when a homeowner least expects it. (Photo Credits)

A home may look perfect, but without careful and regular electrical maintenance a homeowner will never know about electrical issues are in the offing until the trouble happens already. Brewing electrical concerns are best caught even before it wreaks havoc. And one of the best ways to catch it is through a routine professional electrical inspection done on a yearly basis.

Fortunately there are also clues that homeowners can watch out for that would indicate brewing trouble. American Lighting Association   

Home improvement website The Family Handyman says one of the red flags that homeowners should watch out for is hot outlet plates. In their web post on signs homeowners should watch out for in their homes that could indicate electrical trouble, hot plates ranked first.

“Many electrical appliances generate heat during operation. However, the outlet itself should never get hot. If you notice heat at an outlet, immediately unplug any cords and do not use the outlet until you can troubleshoot the issue. Switch cover plates should be treated in the same way, with one exception: Dimmer switches commonly get warm to the touch, since they are dissipating the excess electrical energy in order to create the dimming effect. However, even dimmer switch cover plates should never be uncomfortably hot to the touch.”

(Related Post: Electrician’s tips on disposing used light bulbs)

Read why it is dangerous in the continuation of the article here.

Angie’s List meanwhile shared that a Burning Odor should never be shrugged off especially if the homeowner sees no reason for his home to be emitting such. An urgent call to an electrician or emergency services is definitely warranted. Master Electrician

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“If you notice a burning odor coming from any outlets or switches, turn the power off at the electrical panel. Contact a qualified electrician for appropriate repairs. The problem may be a faulty device, but it could also be a wiring or overload problem. A burning smell is a serious issue because it could indicate the start of an electrical fire. Receptacles or connected electrical cords that are warm to the touch are also a sign of an electrical problem. Do not use the receptacle until the situation has been repaired.”

Check out the rest of the signs to watch out for in the continuation of the article here.

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Another tell-tale sign of a brewing trouble according to electrical experts is a frequent blowing of fuses at home. In an article safety website Safebee.com mentioned this as one of the danger signs households should be aware of.

“Frequently blown fuses or tripped breakers. Circuit breakers and fuses are designed to fail as a way to prevent overloading. If a vacuum cleaner or hair dryer routinely trips a breaker regardless of where you plug it in, the appliance is the likely culprit. But if using a single outlet causes you to blow the same fuse repeatedly, the circuit is probably overloaded. Call in a pro to discuss upgrading the circuit or adding a new line.”

Check out the rest of the electrical warning signs they mentioned in the original article here.

Homeowners should indeed be aware of warning signs that point to electrical problems so that these would no longer cause inconvenience or harm to their household.

Gforce Green Electric Solutions

2920 McGraw St San Diego, CA 92117

(858) 480-6559

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Disposing old electrical appliances

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Smart Kitchen Appliances that Make life easier

Digital and High-Technology

Smart kitchen fixtures make cooking a breeze. (Photo Credits)

The smart home is taking households by storm. More and more homes are employing smart security, smart appliances, and smart gadgets that make homemaking, home maintenance and basically home life even more manageable. Builders and Contractors

The kitchen is no exception, with more and more digital kitchen appliances and fixtures that make food preparation easier, the smart kitchen is becoming a coveted house feature for new home builds, and renovations.

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One such kitchen fixture is a four door refrigerator that has a built in tablet, and can take photos inside the refrigerator as controlled from one’s mobile device. The website House Beautiful made a feature on Smart Kitchen Appliances that make life easier, and this refrigerator is one of those that has been mentioned in their online write-up.

“This is but one of Samsung’s line of smart fridges equipped with Family Hub and Bixby, Samsung’s voice assistant. Family Hub is basically like having a tablet screen built into your fridge door that also works as a memo board, and you can all access it from your phones. Plus, the fridge has a built-in camera, so if you’re ever out at the grocery store wondering if you have enough eggs at home, you can just take a peek inside from your phone.”

Read more here.

Smart Kitchen Gadgets

Another great kitchen appliance that is digitally connected, and can be controlled from a mobile device is the Smart Oven. Hivestyle.com explained the features of one of the techiest kitchen appliances there is and smart ovens is one of those appliances they mentioned in their write-up. Electricians

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“A smart oven and stove is the solution for a busy family juggling many activities. An app lets you defrost, bake and roast your food. Once it is cooked, the stove will adjust the temperature to keep the food warm. Remote cooking is also now possible. This allows you to check the progress of your meal and turn it off or on as needed. Then, if you want to clean your oven, your app may also allow for doing so remotely.”

Check out the other smart kitchen appliances they mentioned in their write-up here.

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Another much coveted kitchen appliance that makes food preparation easier, and life in the kitchen less burdensome is the slow cooker. One Crazy House talked about the latest kitchen appliances that make life a breeze and the slow cooker ranked on the higher end of their list.

“Slow Cooker – This one is probably the one that will help you regain your sanity the most! Throw dinner in before you leave the house in the morning and come home to a perfectly cooked meal. I even grab the pre-packed dinner out of the freezer and throw it in without even thawing it. SO easy and amazing!”

Check out the rest of the kitchen appliances mentioned in the write-up here.

Food preparation is indeed easier with smarter kitchen appliances that can be operated through electricity and connected via wi-fi to one’s mobile device.

Gforce Green Electric Solutions

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Electrician’s Advice in Installing emergency lights

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Electrician’s Advice in Installing emergency lights

The importance of emergency lights

Emergency lights are important in commercial properties. (Photo Credits)

Emergency lights are extremely important in residential buildings and commercial properties to ensure the safety of everyone during emergencies like power outages, fires, earthquakes, among others. It is important that these are safely installed so that it can function properly during the above-mentioned situations.

Emergencylights.net came up with tips on safely installing emergency lighting systems. In their advice, they emphasized that it will always be best to hire the services of an electrician during the installation process. Master Electrician          

“When mounting an emergency light, it is important to consult an electrician if you are unfamiliar with the proper safety procedures.  An emergency light will be connected to the electrical wiring of a building or residence, so that it can sense when the power goes out.  In the event of an outage, or the tripping of a breaker, the unit will be signaled to come on and have ninety minutes of backup power to illuminate the path to an exit.”

Read the continuation here.

Emergency lighting safety

The Electrical Construction & Maintenance (EC&M) magazine also shared crucial information about emergency lighting. After safe installation, one of those aspects mentioned in their write-up is regular inspections to ensure that everything works great during emergencies. American Lighting Association        

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“An important part of all inspections is to make sure the heads have not moved and are aimed accurately. These emergency lights are simple to repair, and it is rarely necessary to purchase a whole new unit. Typically, when you push the test button and all lights fail to go on or are weak, it’s a sign new batteries are needed — but not always.”

The rest of the article can be found here.

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Firepros.com also shared some tips on installing emergency evacuation lights. One of the tips they discussed in their write-up is to adhere to fire standards.

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“Guidelines for emergency lighting were created to improve visual conditions in the event of a fire or other emergency. If you own a commercial building, you must follow fire codes and standards. A fire protection contractor will be able to help you install lighted exit signs that improve the safety of your building. Fire codes and standards outline how long exit lights have to stay on during an emergency.”

Check out the rest of the write-up here.

Emergency lights are indeed very helpful during crises situations.

Gforce Green Electric Solutions

2920 McGraw St San Diego, CA 92117

(858) 480-6559

Gforce Electrician Contractor San Diego

Electrician Tips in Installing Accent Lights and Chandeliers

 

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Electrician Tips in Installing Accent Lights and Chandeliers

Safe installation

Chandeliers should be installed by a professional to ensure its safety. (Photo Credits)

Installing chandeliers can be very tricky especially for a homeowner trying to install one on his own. For one, there is safety involved, and of course there is the risk of damage and losses in case the expensive chandelier drops on the floor and gets damaged.

But for homeowners who would like to try their hand in hanging their own chandeliers, Home improvement website The Spruce has come up with tips on hanging chandeliers both for safety and over-all and design and impact in a room.

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“Depending on where you’re placing your chandelier, there are some guidelines you can follow. When hanging a chandelier above a dining room table, experts generally agree that it should hang 30 to 36 inches above your table. The rule is simple—the taller the ceiling, the taller the chandelier, and chains can always be extended or shortened if needed. For an entryway, the majority of pros assert that the chandelier should hang no lower than 7 feet.”

Check out the rest of their tips here.

Cove lighting

As for other home lighting accents like cove lighting, Family Handyman came up with a step-by-step procedure on installing cove lighting. Foremost in their tips though is to ensure that cove lighting is right in relation to a home design and structure. Then they came up with a comprehensive list of instructions on installing cove lighting. Electricians 

“Draw reference lines to indicate the bottom of the light strip and the bottom of the base. Don’t worry whether the lines are level. Instead, measure down from the ceiling in several places and connect the dots to achieve a consistent distance between the cove and the ceiling. Years of settling can throw a ceiling out of level. A cove not in line with the ceiling will create a noticeably uneven gap. Save time by cutting a couple blocks of wood to use as marking gauges.”

Read the rest of the instructions here.

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Pendant lights are yet another trend in home lighting design. The DIY Network came up with a comprehensive web post explaining how this could be done by homeowners, and what safety considerations to keep in mind when doing such. Builders and Contractors

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“Before beginning any type of electrical project, be sure the power is turned off at the home’s main circuit box. Cover the switch with tape to make sure it doesn’t get turned back on while you are working. Use a circuit tester to ensure that the power is off before you touch any of the electrical wiring.”

The list of the step by step instructions can be found here.

If unsure as to how to safely install accent lighting, chandeliers, or pendant lights, the safest route will always to heed the service of a licensed professional electrician contractor.

Gforce Green Electric Solutions

2920 McGraw St San Diego, CA 92117

(858) 480-6559

Gforce Electric Repair San Diego

Electrician’s Tips on Safe Ceiling Fan Installation

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Electrician’s take on Plug Adapters

The Dangers of Plug Adapters

All about using Plug Adapters. (Photo Credits)

Plug adapters may be helpful around the home, but it apparently has a share of its own dangers. Expert electricians advise it could lead to electric shock or even electrocution.

Home improvement website, The Spruce cautioned its readers against using these adapters saying that it may even cost them their lives. Builders and Contractors 

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“It is very common to use these adapters in homes with older outlets that don’t have three slots, but it is bad practice. In many cases, these older electrical systems do not have a dedicated ground pathway, which means that there is the potential for shock if you plug a three-prong plug into them via an adapter.”

Read more here.

Substandard Adapters

Even WikiPedia mentioned the potential trouble laying ahead from using these adapters. The entry even emphasized that the use of such can even be more dangerous when it involves a substandard one. Electricians

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“Occasionally, plug and socket combinations may allow power to flow but may not meet product standards for mating force, earthing, current capacity, life expectancy, or safety. Failure to meet quality standards is even more likely when using third-party adapters or improvised user-modified connectors. Physical compatibility does not always ensure that the appliance and socket match in frequency or voltage.”

Read the rest of the entry here.

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The Government of Australia’s Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety issued a warning to its constituents, saying that using these adapters can even be fatal.

“You may be shocked to hear that overseas plug converters supplied with appliances to make them usable in Australia could harm or kill you! There have been two local cases recently where consumers reported receiving electric shocks from power adaptors that came with appliances they’d purchased from websites.”

Read the continuation here.

Households should indeed consult an electrician when there is a permanent need for adapters so that it could be addressed safely.

Gforce Green Electric Solutions

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Choosing the right bedside lamp

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Choosing the best lighting for the bedroom

Room Lights

Bedroom lights set the mood for rest and relaxation. (Photo Credits)

Lighting design for the bedroom can have a huge impact on rest and relaxation. It can meet needs for illumination at night time, and accentuate the great features of the bedroom and its design.

It is crucial that the right lighting is picked to correctly illuminate the bedroom where it is needed. The website Decoist discussed the factors to consider in lighting the bedroom. One of the factors mentioned in the write-up is the size of the bedroom. Master Electrician      

“You need to pick fixtures that emit enough light to illuminate every corner of the room in the desired fashion. The common tendency is to place way too many lights hoping that the presence of ample illumination will reflect your detailed design planning. But in reality, this does just the opposite, and the room looks too bright in one corner and dim in others. Even as sculptural additions, the pedants and chandeliers that you choose must be proportional to the size of the bedroom and surrounding decor.”

Read the rest of their lighting tips here.

Lighting Objective

Home construction and design website Houzz.com meanwhile shared tips on choosing the right lighting design for the bedroom. In their web post, they mentioned that the homeowner should always go back to their objective on how they would like to use the bedroom lights. American Lighting Association 

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“Think about the type of lighting you want and need. Bedside lighting is one of the first points of consideration for a bedroom. These lights can be a great excuse to add something fun and unique to accessorize your room. Table lamps on bedside tables or nightstands is a classic option that provides a good sense of symmetry and balance to a room.”

Check out the rest of the web article here.

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Home improvement website TheSpruce.com mentioned several pointers in choosing the best bed side lamp for a room. In their write-up they mentioned the rule of thumb of having just one bed side lamp for one person, and two if two persons are using the bedroom. However they emphasized that if the bed is too big for one person to use, he can have two lamps in the bedroom to create a balance in terms of design.

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“Getting the scale right is a balancing act—the wider your mattress, the wider the nightstand; and the wider the nightstand, the wider the lamp atop it. For a rough rule of thumb, your nightstand should measure between one-third and two-thirds the width of your mattress, and the bedside lamp should be roughly one-third the width of the nightstand when measured at the lamp’s widest point.”

Read the rest of the web post here.

Choosing the right lights for the bedroom is indeed exciting and fun!

Gforce Green Electric Solutions

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(858) 480-6559

Gforce Electrical Repair San Diego CA

Electrician’s safety tips in charging digital devices

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