When it comes to residential electrical work, most people just call up an electrician without a second thought. And for good reason – working with electricity can be difficult and dangerous if not done properly. However, there are some simple jobs that amateur electricians can perform on their own if they have basic tools and experience. Read on for tips on how to run electrical wiring behind your walls without tearing up your home.

Winter is in full swing in the Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver area. Winter in British Columbia usually means a severe drop in temperature, possible snowfall and an unfortunate spike in the electrical bill. We often get asked whether or not it is possible to keep a home warm during the Winter season without breaking the budget. Absolutely it is! The licensed electricians at Expert Electric offer a variety of residential electrical services and cost-effective tips that can help clients keep their homes warm during the holidays. For more on this, read our list below for tips on how to keep your home warm in the Winter season.

One of the best ways to keep your home warm in the Winter is by installing a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats have been proven to significantly reduce the electrical bill of residential homes while keeping residents warm when it counts. Rather than continuously adjusting the thermostat throughout the day, program it so that it keeps you warm when you are at home, and does not waste energy when you are away at work. If you are unsure of what model of thermostat to purchase or what settings are best, contact the licensed electricians at Expert Electric.

Using the sun to your home’s advantage is the most cost-effective way to warm up your home during the Winter. If your home has lots of windows, Expert Electric recommends opening the curtains and letting Mr. Sunshine go to work during the day. The best thing about taking advantage of the sun’s rays is that you will not be billed for them at the end of the month.

In order for heating registers and vents to work properly, they need to be free of furniture and other household items that could be blocking the air flow and the circulation of heat. Keep your home warm this winter by making sure that any vents and heat registers are clutter-free and able to properly distribute heat throughout.

This may seem obvious to some but keeping your doors both closed and locked is a simple way to keep your home warm during the Winter season. This applies to all the doors in homes, not just doors to the outside. Determine which rooms in your home are used the most frequently. These are the rooms that you will want to focus on keeping warm. By keeping the doors to these rooms closed whenever possible, it will create a sauna effect and allow the heat to become more effective in spaces where it counts.

For more tips on how to keep your home warm this Winter, please call the licensed electricians at Expert Electric. You can reach us at 604-681-8338 or book an appointment through our website. We offer a large variety of electrical services that can help keep your residential home warm and toasty throughout the Winter season without breaking your budget. Expert Electric offers flexible scheduling, written estimates and complete customer satisfaction. Don’t let the cold get to you this holiday season. Contact the trusted team at Expert Electric.

Every home has a fire detection system. This vital safety feature should be well understood. Smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and security systems give homeowners peace-of-mind. Furthermore, when combined with a security system, these devices work together to form a complete home protection plan.

The second type of detector is an ionization detector. It uses a small amount of radioactive material to ionize the air in an internal chamber. This in turn, generates a voltage that can be measured. By-products of combustion will change the voltage that is generated and trigger the alarm. This type of detector is better at identifying active combustion with little to no smoke.

While both types of smoke detectors will safely alert a homeowner to a fire, combination alarms exist that employ both methods. Consequently, the responsiveness of the whole system increases. Hard-wired detectors are also available which can be wired to trigger all the alarms in a home if anyone detects a problem.

In any appliance that uses combustion, such as a furnace or stove top, a potential exists for hazardous carbon monoxide buildup. This by-product is tasteless, odorless, colorless, and highly toxic in large concentrations. Therefore, a carbon monoxide detector is highly recommended. It will monitor the levels of CO in the air and alert inhabitants before they become dangerous. They are available as stand-alone units that can be plugged in to standard wall outlets or as combination roof-mounted CO and smoke detectors.

Home security systems have been around for decades and make use of a combination of sensors including door, window, glass-break, and motion sensors. Historically, these devices were hard-wired and fed back to a central control panel. Many modern systems make use of wireless sensors that allow for easy retrofitting of existing homes. Door and window sensors utilize a small magnet and magnetic strip held open when the door or window closes. If the magnet is moved away, the magnetic strip springs closed and triggers the alarm.

Glass-break sensors are placed near windows and use a microphone to listen for the distinctive frequencies associated with glass breaking. Motion detectors take advantage of a variety of technologies, such as passive infrared, microwave, or ultrasonic. This technology detects something moving within its range. These can be part of exterior security lights or interior motion sensors. Security cameras can also play a role in home security. Install them indoors or outdoors.

When installed and used properly, a home security system can easily increase home safety while reducing the chances of burglary or fire. Most insurance companies offer discounts for home security systems. Because of this, the entire cost of the system may be offset or eliminated altogether. Be sure to ask your insurance company about discounts to homeowner’s insurance for improving or installing a new security system.

Are you in need of an electrician serving the Pleasant Hill Iowa area?  Look no further.  Custom Electrical Services, central Iowa’s residential and light commercial experts has electricians in Pleasant Hill.  There electricians are available for all your Pleasant Hill electrical emergencies no matter the time of day or night.

From the simplest of electrical projects to the most lavish.  Custom Electrical Services will provide top notch electrical service for your next Pleasant Hill electrical project.  There electricians are serving Pleasant Hill around the clock.  From replacing a light bulb to rewiring your entire home there electricians in Pleasant Hill can handle the task!

Have a older breaker box, fuse box, or electrical panel in your home?  Have one of the electricians in Pleasant Hill come out to inspect it to insure everything is in working order.  Brands like FPE or Federal Pacific Electric have been know to cause fires.  Custom Electrical Services replaces dozens of FPE breaker boxes each year in Pleasant Hill, Des Moines, and surrounding communities.  If you have an FPE panel we recommend you call an licensed and insured electrician to have it replaced.  Not sure what brand your electrical panel is?  Call us today to set up a time to have your electrical panel inspected by a trusted professional.

With residential homes and commercial buildings demanding more and more electrical power to run todays electronics its no wonder your tired, overloaded, or weak circuit breakers trip.  Have an electrician come out to your Pleasant Hill home to run new circuits and dedicated circuits to your heavier appliance loads.  We can even install a whole house surge arrestor or surge protector in your electrical box to help protect your entire home or business from electrical surges.

Homes built prior to 2008 did not come with tamper resistant or child proof outlets installed.  Today current code requires that all outlets or receptacles in a dwelling come with tamper resistant plugs installed.  Some other businesses such as child care facilities, and some health care facilities require these life saving child proof outlets installed as well.  If you do not have these new style receptacles installed in your Pleasant Hill home please call today to have an electrician in Pleasant Hill provide you with an upfront cost to replace them.