You Might Need a New Electrical Panel Installation
A lot of homeowners don’t realize how important the right electrical panel can be. That’s because many people don’t know that their panel controls all of the power output in their home. Every electrical appliance and device relies on your panel to function properly.
Without an effective electrical panel, your appliances might not run as well. Devices can charge slower and lights can flicker on and off. Those are the better outcomes, too. At the worst, your appliances can get damaged from working too hard or your circuits can get overloaded.
Damaged appliances will need to be replaced, plus you’ll end up spending more on the electric bill for the same results. Overloaded circuits can cause a spark, which is related to many electrical fires. There are a lot of safety and efficiency reasons for an electrical panel upgrade.
This is especially true if you have an older home. When houses were being built in the 1980’s and before, they didn’t have the same technology that we do now. In many cases, a fuse box was all they needed to function, but times have changed.
An electrical panel installation is generally good for about 25 years, though it’s recommended to think about a replacement after 10. Either way, there are some outdated panels that should be updated with a modern panel option.
Because they were popular in the mid-1900’s, Federal Pacific Electric, or FPE, panels can be found in many homes built prior to the 90’s. Unfortunately, they’re not safe anymore. Modern security features on electrical panels cause them to trip when they’re overloaded or shorted.
Another of the electrical panels we have to change out a lot are from Zinsco. They’re also called GTE-Sylvania panels, but they were common during the 70’s. While they’re no longer operational, they installed panels throughout the country.
Outdated panels are mostly unsafe because they lack newer security features. In the case of Zinsco, they tend to melt the “bus bar” and prevent it from tripping. FPE and Zinsco panels don’t have that safety feature, so they can overload and cause an electrical fire in your home.
The worst part is that electrical fires can spark at any time, so it might be years after the electrical panel installation. To make matters worse, FPE panels don’t necessarily turn off a circuit when you turn it off.
This has led to several people being shocked or electrocuted by accident. To know if you have an FPE panel, it might be on the outside or you might see Stab-Loc on the inside. Zinsco can be anywhere on the panel, though you might also spot GTE-Sylvania as a rebranding.
While there’s no guarantee that your panel isn’t safe, it’s still a good idea to think about an electrical panel upgrade. If nothing else, you deserve peace of mind to know you’re safe. Call our experts at Turner On Services and let us take a look today!
Other Panels that Need Updated
If you still have a fuse box in your home, you should get an electrical panel upgrade immediately.
That’s because fuse boxes were designed for homes back when they only needed 1,000 amps of power or less.
With more technology and appliances, modern homes use an average of double that. This can cause overloaded circuits, electrical fires, faulty wiring, or damaged appliances.
A fuse box is extremely unsafe and you might save on your electric bill with an electrical panel upgrade.
You should also replace your split-bus electrical panels. These are common, but they don’t meet current safety codes. That’s because they don’t have a central disconnect feature, with 6 “main” breakers instead.
While they’re not inherently dangerous, split-bus electrical panels are at least 4 decades old. That’s way past the efficiency of modern electrical panel installations. Not only will they not trip when overloaded, but you could be missing out on electrical savings.
If you have any of the panels we’ve talked about, give us a call today! Turner On Services has experience with the best products from lasting manufacturers. You can get more out of your electrical panel, feel safer, and increase your home’s value with an electrical panel upgrade!
When it comes to fixing things around the house, a lot of homeowners like to do things themselves. In some cases, especially with the help of online tutorials, you can. However, dealing with anything electrical should be left up to a professional.
Electrical appliances and wiring can have many issues as the years go by. You might need an electrical repair, which can improve your comfort. You might also need an electrical panel upgrade to increase the number of circuits or handle the power better.
Whatever it is, we’ve got the experience and training to do things safely. By trying to do things yourself, you could wire things incorrectly. In the best case scenario, things just don’t work. In the worst case, you get electrocuted or accidentally spark a house fire.
Even if you just need the initial electrical panel installation, you should always look into working with a professional. Turner On Services has a team that’s here to help. We offer a number of electrical services that you can choose, because doing it yourself isn’t recommended.
Safety and Success
There are a lot of home improvement statistics to discourage the do-it-yourself-ers. According to Porch.com, 55% of homeowners try to do home projects on their own, but only 31% actually finish anything.
A big part of that is because the online tutorials are designed to make things look easy. Most projects aren’t as fast or simple as these videos make it seem. Not only that, but if you continuously spend money on unfinished projects, you’re throwing money down the drain. To make matters worse, there could be injury bills involved.
Electricity can be dangerous to play around with unless you know what you’re doing. You could get lucky with a mild shock, but there’s a good chance that your injury could be serious or even fatal.
The National Center for Biotechnology Information found that 30,000 injuries, or more, happen every year from electrical shock in the U.S, and that’s the minimum average. Of those, 1,000 shocks are fatal, so think twice about doing the electrical panel upgrade yourself.
Our expert electricians at Turner On Services have the knowledge and equipment to do things safely. We go through about 600 hours of classroom and on-the-job training to get a professional license. All of that hands-on training and expertise is meant to keep us safe.
While some online tutorials can show the steps correctly, they still leave out the safety measures. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and at least some of those electric shocks from earlier have to be attempts at DIY fixes.
For example, your electrical panel installation isn’t just about turning the electricity off and putting in the circuit breaker. A big part of it is knowing where the connections and circuits go, not to mention the wiring. Wiring is responsible for many house fires when it’s done wrong.
You also have to know the correct wires with proper insulation, so there’s a lot to know. That’s why you should always hire a professional for your electrical work. Here are some things to watch for to know you might have some electrical issues:
Lights flicker on and off, or cut out completely
You hear a buzzing sound when you turn on your lights
If you notice any of the above or it’s been a while since your last routine inspection, you can trust Turner On Services. We’ve got a team of trained, licensed experts to keep you and your home safe!
Safety First
Another danger of doing things yourself is the risk of starting a fire. Even if you manage to evade getting shocked, improper wiring or overloaded circuits can cause a spark.
You’d be surprised at how many home fires every year start because of bad wiring. In fact, based on a study from Firetrace.com, not meeting building codes and lack of repairs are two main reasons for electrical fires.
As professional electricians, Turner On Services is aware of the safety codes and all of their constant updates.
We also know about the different amp levels and what they require. If the wrong wires are used for higher voltage and amps, it could cause what’s called an arc flash. Even if it doesn’t, the slightest error can lay the groundwork for an electrical fire down the road.
Most fires don’t start immediately after the power comes back on, so you might not know you made the mistake until it’s too late. Our training allows us to handle your electrical panel upgrade without making that mistake, because safety comes first.
These fires are more common than you think. The U.S. Fire Administration found that electrical problems are in the top 5 reasons for house fires over multiple decades. That number goes up when you consider how many homeowners tried to do things themselves:
At least 51,000 electrical fires occur annually, with the projections going up.
Electrical fires aren’t even 10% of the annual fires, but they’re responsible for almost half of the 1,000 fire-related deaths.
The U.S. Fire Administration in 2019 found that more electrical fires were due to amateur electrician work. That included homeowners, unlicensed electricians, and landlords.
You’re 5 times more likely to die from an electrical fire because of their spontaneity.
Everything’s Got a Price Tag
One thing that a lot of homeowners have in common is financial concerns. That’s why so many opt to do things on their own, but you might have noticed by now that’s a mistake. Not only is it dangerous, but you could end up spending way more than if you just hired a professional.
Any kind of electrical work usually needs at least a permit. You might not need one if your project falls under specific state guidelines, but that’s a big financial risk. If you needed a permit and didn’t get one, you could be looking at serious legal costs. Permits can be expensive, too.
Electrical Master Equipment On House Plans
Our professional team at Turner On Services can take care of your electrical needs without worrying about legal problems. We’re familiar with local and state safety codes, we’re licensed, and we’ll also save you the time of trying to do everything yourself.
Another financial aspect to consider comes from selling your house or dealing with insurance. When you’re trying to sell your house, there’s an inspection that will take place. Anything you did yourself will have to meet building codes, and that’s assuming you dealt with the permit issue.
Everything has to be up to these codes before you can sell your home. That’s because it’s the inspector’s job to make sure the electrical wiring and appliances are safe for the new owner. Even if all of that is kosher, the city might force you to expose your handiwork.
That could get expensive, with walls possibly getting torn down, but it gets worse. If your home fails an electrical inspection, buyers won’t want to pay for a home they’ll need to fix up. Your home’s value will drop significantly to account for that work.
You could also face legal fines or have to pay for the electrical repairs anyway, depending on your contract. In other words, it pays to just let a professional do things up front. Plus, an electrical panel upgrade can increase the value of your home!
Dealing with Insurance
We mentioned it above, but your insurance claim can be heavily affected by the state of your electrical maintenance. In many cases, doing things yourself could negate any warranties or be considered “negligent” by your insurance company.
Getting a permit for your impromptu electrical work and having it inspected are just the tip of the insurance iceberg. With or without those steps, you could still be denied an insurance claim and have to pay for any electrical damages. Since electricity is linked to so many house fires, that’s an important thing to have covered.
Insurance companies look at any electrical work that was done by anyone not professionally licensed. Even if you didn’t do it or didn’t know about it, you could still be left holding the bill.
While you might be able to get the previous owner of your home to pay for repairs if the electrical work was done by them, it can get expensive. In fact, lightning could cause a power surge and spark the fire, and you might still be denied an insurance claim.
Getting proper maintenance and upgrades for the electrical appliances in your home is imperative. Turner On Services provides a routine inspection that can identify problems, like an overloaded circuit or the need for an electrical panel upgrade.
You should always get this inspection before buying or selling a home, but you should also get one every year for safety. There are a lot of things that could be wrong or not be able to handle the amps, especially in the age of technology.
For all of the above reasons, you should always let a professional handle your electrical needs. We’ll provide an expert inspection and do everything from electrical panel installation to wiring correctly. Contact Turner On Services today if you need any of our services!
When homes were built before the 1990’s, they didn’t have as many things to consider when it came to electricity. Many of them have fuse boxes, which were only meant to handle 1,000 amps.
Unfortunately, modern homes usually use twice that. While you might want to think about getting an electrical panel upgrade, there are other concerns. Outdated wiring was done with aluminum or copper wires.
Sometimes they also used knob and tube for the house electrical wiring. All but the copper can be dangerous. If you live in an older home, you could be at risk for wiring problems. These can limit the efficiency of appliances, but they could also put you in danger of an electrical fire.
Turner On Services can update your wiring, so don’t hesitate if you think you have aluminum wires.
Most wiring that’s done now used copper, because that’s what the Electrical Safety Authority recommends. According to them, aluminum wiring can be safe as long as it’s installed properly and the wires aren’t damaged. One reason we suggest upgrading from aluminum, though, is because of your appliances.
A lot of newer devices aren’t compatible with aluminum wiring, so they lose efficiency and might cause an arc flash. These can be 1,000 degrees and cause a fire at any time. It’s important to call us about your wiring problems, but we don’t live there.
Here are some of the most common signs that your wires are causing electrical arcs:
Light switches are darker or discolored
Your light bulbs go out faster than usual
You smell burning Outlets or light switches feel warm
Lights flicker on and off, cut off randomly, or aren’t as bright Circuits trip more often
If you notice any of those things, you and your home could be at-risk. We’ve got a team of electrical experts to replace your outdated wiring or give you an electrical panel upgrade to handle more amps. Call us today for a free inspection to start feeling safer!
Why Should You Upgrade Your Wiring?
While aluminum wiring can be safe if it’s installed and wired by a professional, there are other things to consider. We always recommend a professional electrician for your wiring to get the most out of your home. In fact, some insurance companies won’t accept a claim if you don’t use a pro.
Insurance can also be hard to renew if you don’t have an expert inspection, which is why we offer a free inspection. Any electrical issue our team finds, we can help repair, replace, or install.
To make sure that you’re covered just in case, call Turner On Services today!
Outdated Knob and Tube Wiring
We’ve talked about copper being the current wiring and why you should upgrade from aluminum. However, old wires were knob and tube. This type of wiring doesn’t have a ground wire, so there’s no space for plugs with 3 prongs.
If you’re not familiar, ground wires can help prevent electrical shocks. They’re also useful to avoid electrical fires from arcing. Newer wires have all of the wiring contained together, but knob and tube wiring has the wires in two separate cables. With more technology and electrical appliances, the chances of electrical trouble have increased.
Not being able to plug in a ground wire makes that risk go even higher, which can lead to appliance damages or electrical fires. It can also be dangerous for insulation to be installed on top of knob and tube wiring. Knob and tube wires have built-in insulation with rubber and cloth. This gives off a lot of heat when it’s using power. Insulation on top of it will give the heat nowhere to escape.
If you live in an older home, it’s always good to have a routine inspection done. Our professional electricians will make sure that you’re safe and everything is running smoothly. Let us put our experience and knowledge to work for you today when you call Turner On Services!
When you’re planning to remodel your home, there are several things to take into consideration. One thing that a lot of homeowners have trouble with is the electrical design.
Part of that is because you might not know all of your lighting options and most people don’t know wiring. Turner On Services has a team of electrical experts. We keep up with all of the light fixtures that hit the market, so that you don’t have to.
That means we know the best products to recommend. We’ve also got the wiring experience you’ll need to make sure everything is safe and efficient.
The key word there is safe, because improper wiring can be dangerous. It can damage your appliances or lead to a house fire. The worst part is that electrical fires can happen at any time, so it really comes down to knowing the wiring is done right in the first place. Having enough outlets in the right place can help with that. The same goes for getting an electrical panel upgrade to accommodate your electrical needs.
More light fixtures means you’ll need more circuits and power, after all. Designing the perfect lighting in your home needs to work in tandem with your wiring. That’s why we always recommend a professional. When you’re looking for someone that will work fast and help you through the planning and installation process, Turner On Services is here!
Each room in your home will have different lighting demands because you’ll have different purposes. Your kitchen tends to have more high-energy appliances, like ovens and the refrigerator. These need to be on separate circuits to avoid an overload. The same goes for any appliance that gives off heat, like the toaster or coffee maker.
Another way to help with your circuits is with the right electrical panel installation. On the other hand, your living room might only need a few outlets for entertainment devices and basic lighting. We’ll help you come up with a lighting plan for each room. You might want a light over the kitchen sink, but your living room may work with just a lamp and ceiling fan.
Our expert electricians understand that the layout of your room will play a role in the light design. Larger rooms will need more lighting, with access to more outlets. Some light fixtures also need special wires, because they don’t use outlets. That’s not even getting into the smaller, specific lights for ovens and cabinets. To make things easier, give Turner On Services a call today!
Planning for the Future
When it comes to your lighting design, we’ll also keep in mind your furniture layout. Many homeowners love to move around the furniture to create an open space, but sometimes it blocks outlets. Knowing where you plan to put things can help our team find a workaround. The type of furniture can also be helpful, because a desk in your office will obviously need an outlet for a computer or printer.
Something else that many people don’t think about is holiday decorations and gatherings. With many of these events, things get moved around to make room. You might also want an outlet specifically where you plan to put up a tree or string lights. If you know you’ll want a table in the corner, we can wire an outlet to be close by.
When you’re trying to create the perfect home lighting for you, you’ve come to the right place. Turner On Services will design a unique layout of wiring and lighting that will give you the space you want!
We know what it’s like to take care of things yourself around the house. We also know that online tutorials can make things look a lot simpler than they are, especially electrical projects. Unfortunately, they usually leave out the safety risks and how many projects actually work. We always recommend a professional for anything electrical.
If you’re looking for outdoor lighting, our team of experts can recommend the top products. We’ll also take care of the installation and wiring because improper wiring can cause injury or even a fire. Turner On Services has a lot of experience with outdoor lighting services.
That means we know the perfect lighting design to give you what you want. Are you trying to create a romantic ambiance? Maybe you just want a nice space for family dinners on the patio.
Since outdoor lighting can also improve your home’s security, it pays to do it right the first time. That’s why you should give us a call and let our experts work with you every step of the way! We’ll make sure that you get the outdoor lighting you need for your lifestyle!
Some homeowners are great with interior design and some are handy with tools. Even if you can do both, wiring your light fixtures correctly is crucial to your safety. It’s easy to overload a circuit without an electrical panel upgrade, or you could cause an electrical fire.
The layout of your light fixtures can accomplish different purposes. We can use lighting to highlight a feature of your yard, set a mood, or light up the perimeter for security.
Motion-activated lighting can help you find your keys at night if you work a long day. Our design team knows all of the lighting options at your disposal. We’ll work with you to come up with the perfect lighting for you.
Whether you want floodlights or wall sconces, we’ll help you choose a custom lighting design. You could even want smart technology. No matter what you want for your outdoor lighting, our professionals will take care of the wiring. Getting power from your electrical panel installation to the lights can also control how bright or dim they are, so call Turner On Services now!
Why Should You Upgrade Your Wiring?
While aluminum wiring can be safe if it’s installed and wired by a professional, there are other things to consider. We always recommend a professional electrician for your wiring to get the most out of your home. In fact, some insurance companies won’t accept a claim if you don’t use a pro.
Insurance can also be hard to renew if you don’t have an expert inspection, which is why we offer a free inspection. Any electrical issue our team finds, we can help repair, replace, or install.
To make sure that you’re covered just in case, call Turner On Services today!
There are all kinds of benefits to letting our team help with your outdoor lighting. Not only do we have the experience to make sure everything is done right, but we know the best products from top manufacturers. We’ll get you quality lighting without going over your budget.
We care about our customers, so we want you to get as close to your dream lighting as possible. With so many lighting options available today, it can be overwhelming. You might also not know about most of them, but it’s our job to know and recommend what works best for you.
We’re also interested in keeping you safe. Between the added security of outdoor lighting and correct wiring, we want to make sure you’re safe in the comfort of your home. You deserve the outdoor lighting to create whatever atmosphere you want.
Outdoor lighting can give you more ways to enjoy the most out of your property. You should be able to use your outdoor area no matter what time of day it is! Get started when you call Turner On Services and let our team give you a free estimate!
