If you work in hazardous locations and conditions, you would understand the need to promote safety and ensure that the risk of explosions is reduced. It is crucial that you eliminate one or more component of the ignition triangle to minimize the chances of an explosion. The 3 protection methods listed below are widely used in hazardous locations, in the process control industry:

Before we delve a little deeper and understand these techniques, let’s take a quick look at the role electrical enclosures.

Electrical enclosures are cabinets containing different electrical components such as switches, sockets, plugs, knobs, transformers and controls. These keep the surroundings safe from any kind of electrical hazard. Such enclosures are resistant to spark and shock and they have a high tolerance to extreme temperatures. They must be used in hazardous locations as they keep an interior explosion from spreading to the external environment and damaging life and property. Let’s see how they are relevant in the Containment method of protection:

If you live in the Des Moines area and need an electrician please call!  We service all of Des Moines and surrounding communities.  We get calls everyday asking if we work on older homes and existing wiring.  The answer is always yes!  We constantly get repair calls for older homes and love helping customers!   From the 50317 Des Moines zip code to the 50312 zip code and all others.  We love older homes.  In face we love older homes so much we have electricians that specialize in existing wiring!

You know the saying they don’t make it like they used to?  Well its defiantly true when it comes to electrical wiring in new versus older homes.  New wiring methods, practices, and materials are safer than ever before.  Older home wiring may need updated depending on the condition.  Our electricians specialize in getting the proper circuits and wires to were they need to go without damage walls and ceilings.  They carry specialized tools, cameras, and fishing devices to get the wire were it needs to go without damage.

Our electricians are on call 24 hours per day.  No matter what time of night your emergency is we have electricians ready to help!  They have access to a large inventory of parts no matter what the time is.  They carry most items on there service vans and if the item is not on there service van we carry many parts in our very own warehouse.  Even if the first two locations don’t have what you need we have 24 hour access to all the major supply houses via our on call service program with various strategic partners.  Our crew even has access to Mid American Energy if you have a damaged service that needs shut off for life or safety reasons.  Your Des Moines repair is in good hands with Custom Electrical Services!

Our team of highly skilled licensed electricians has the ability to repair or replace your overhead service.  Many older neighborhoods have the main power lines coming into there home from the air.  Or an arial service drop or overhead service.  Our electricians have the ability to bring out a bucket truck to access those high overhead lines coming into your home.  Often times after your overhead service gets damage the utility company is unable to turn your power back on for safety reasons.  They may require you depending on the condition of your service to have it repaired prior to getting power restored.  That is when Custom Electrical Services comes to the rescue!  We can repair your overhead service with ladders or our bucket truck if needed.  Get everything safely repaired and ready to be re-energized.  We will then contact Mid American energy once repaired and have your power restored.

As a business owner, you need to ensure that your office has the right amenities, ambience and facilities and that your employees have a comfortable atmosphere to work in. Not only will that keep your staff happy, but will increase the overall productivity of your business as well.

When it comes to office or commercial interior design, there are a number of things that have to be taken into account; while most business owners focus on getting ergonomic furniture, installing well-planned work stations and having the right amenities, many overlook the lighting aspect.

Regardless of how well-planned and decorated your office is, if it is poorly-lit, that will only mar the appearance of your office and make the spaces look dull and drab. This can impact the enthusiasm of your employees; it will also affect the momentum of work and the productivity of your team. Here are some pointers that will help you get your office lighting right:

You don’t need to add very large or elaborate electrical fixtures to brighten up dark areas in your office. You can create a brighter ambience in the indoor spaces of your office by following these pointers:

If you are a business that is looking to attract traffic in the later hours of the day/night, you would have to consider outdoor lighting very carefully. The exterior of your building should be well illuminated. Not only does this add to the aesthetics of the structure, but increases the safety aspect of your property as well.

If you have a driveway and other large entranceways leading to your commercial property, make it a point to use the right fixtures so they have sufficient lighting. Some of the lighting features that can be installed in outdoor spaces include:

Commercial spaces are highly dependent on electricity to run their businesses efficiently. Regardless of whether you have an office, retail space or any other type of business, a power outage can result in downtime that can impact the productivity of your staff and the profitability of your commercial set up. This is why having sufficient and well-planned backup power is crucial to the running of your business.

Fully automated homes offer the ultimate in Smart Home Technology, boasting George Jetson-like advancement once believed to be many years in the future.

Today’s Smart Home Technology offers everything from Wi-Fi home thermostats, to wireless door locks and outlets that can be turned on and off remotely, as well as inform you if your infirm Granny has started her morning pot of coffee. What’s more, the ability to manage outlets, appliances, heating and cooling, and more with the help of the wireless Internet, a smart device, and a few apps is now an affordable reality.

How can you make your home a bit smarter? Mr. Electric® has ways to help you power your tomorrow with these technology options.

Fitting over your existing deadbolt, smart locks automatically disengage when a phone with a digital key is near. They allow for remote operation, unlimited keys for family and friends, and notify you of activity at your home.  

Control your home’s lighting wirelessly, including lighting intensity, color and scheduling.

Smart open/close sensors for windows, doors, and cabinets can text and inform you of a breach, and when used in conjunction with other home automation products, can even turn on lights, adjust the thermostat, and more.

Plug smart outlets directly into existing wall outlets for remote on/off operation, create a schedule, and track power usage of plugged-in appliances.

As technology rapidly advances and becomes affordable, upcoming Smart Home Technology is sure to be limited only by our imaginations. Visit our website or give us a call to find out about how we can help you capitalize on home automation opportunities today! The future is waiting…

By Elisa Voland

So, you’ve realized you need a whole house surge protector installed in your home. Don’t panic – the entire process is a lot less stressful than you think it might be. Mr. Electric will be there to assist and make sure your expensive and sensitive electronics are well protected. We have included some information about the installation process to make this as simple as possible.

Before Mr. Electric arrives, be sure to clear at least three feet around your electrical panel as required by code for proper workspace for the technician. Don't fret about preparing your home beyond that – we understand you have busy schedules, and our experts will be able to take care of the rest. The area where we will be working varies depending on the job, but technicians will mostly be at the main electrical panel. We will be sure to use drop cloths and wear booties wherever we go in your home to prevent any dirt coming inside.

Our technicians will be sure to explain the task performed before beginning work and will answer any questions during the installation. The entire installation process should take under an hour so expect your electricity to be shut off for the duration of the time while we work.

After we install your surge protector, we will properly clean up any messes made during the job, beyond the extra precautions taken with the booties and drop cloths. We will also vacuum any debris created during our work. Mr. Electric warrants all of our work for a year, so if any problem arises with your surge protector, we will not hesitate to assess the problem and find a solution. 

After that, sit back, relax and enjoy the peace of mind knowing that your home electronics are protected when storm season arrives. We’re here to power your tomorrow! Call Mr. Electric today!