As a leading provider of electrical services in the Boston, MA area, we offer a diverse range of products and services so that our customers have a choice in what they purchase. Your electrical system is an absolutely essential part of your home, and you likely rely on it much more than you realize. As unfortunate and irritating as they may be, power outages often show us what we take for granted. In order for your electrical system to work as it should, it’s necessary to call in a professional. We’ve given you 5 good reasons to call your local electrician.

Give us a call today to schedule electrical service in Newton or the greater Boston area, be it for installation or repair.

Installing a backup generator can be a great benefit to many situations, but there are still people who think generators are more hassle than they are worth. The truth is there are a lot of myths and untruths out there about how backup generators work and run. Let’s take a few moments to debunk the three most common myths:

Truth: Installing a backup generator is a good idea if you want to ensure you have power during storm season and the cold winter months—times when the power has been known to go out due to high winds, lightening, or icy power lines. These generators can provide power for any family that needs to keep the electricity flowing; whether it’s to keep the food in the freezer from thawing, to keep the family comfortable during extreme temps, or just for convenience.

Truth: While you may remember the loud, noisy, and sometimes even smelly generators from years ago, the modern versions are not nearly as disruptive. If you use a diesel generator, you may still get some of that odor, but when it comes to noise it’s really not that loud. It’s more of a soft whirring sound than it is a loud motor sound. Your neighbors will likely not even know it’s running…that’s how quiet generators are these days.

Truth: If your only frame of reference for a backup generator was from 30 years ago, you may think the power you get will be unreliable. This can still be true for certain generator models, but you can turn to professional electricians to help you find the right generator to meet your needs. If you need the generator to be consistently reliable, you are sure to find a model that will fit the bill. You can also purchase surge protectors to help with this issue and protect more sensitive electronics like computers and important medical equipment.

Don’t let these common myths keep you from experiencing the peace of mind and protection a backup generator can bring to your home. Even when the power goes out, you can continue to use essential electronics in your home and keep your family comfortable when you have the right generator installed.

Antique architecture might be beautiful, but the electrical wiring in old houses doesn’t carry the same kind of charm. If you have an older home with an electrical system that hasn’t seen updates in a long time, you could be living in dangerous conditions without realizing it.

There are warning signs that may indicate your wiring is too old, but if you’re ever in doubt, there’s a fool-proof way to get an assessment of your system: Call in a professional! An expert will perform an in-depth inspection of your home’s wiring so you can be aware of the situation and the solutions for it.

With outdated wiring, you may notice strange signs from time to time. Some of them might occur with more regularity than others, but any instances at all can be cause for concern. In general, you’re at risk for having old wiring if your house is 40 years old or more. A few warning signs include:

Although old wiring can raise insurance premiums and keep you from using as many appliances as you’d like, the most important issue is safety. Over the course of time, the insulation surrounding the wires will break down until it eventually leaves the wiring exposed. The insulation protecting older wires doesn’t last as long as it does in newer installations. This means outdated electrical systems are much more likely to feature exposed wiring than those installed more recently.

With inner wiring exposed, the likelihood of short circuits and power failures goes up. Worse, deteriorated insulation translates to a much higher risk of suffering from electrical shocks or having fires break out in your home.

If you have any doubts about the wiring in your house, don’t take unnecessary risks. Ignoring the warning signs of an outdated electrical system can put you and your loved ones in danger. Beyond that, whatever money you might hope to save by not calling a professional would only go into repairs later on.

As the weather cools off and we progress into December, you may be thinking of decorating the inside and outside of your home with holiday lights. One very important factor to keep in mind, though, is that the wiring in most homes—particularly older homes—is not properly equipped to handle the increased electrical demand placed on it by holiday lighting. Wires and connections can become corroded or loose over the years, only adding to the problem.

When more amperage passes through an electrical circuit or wire than it is intended to handle, the overloading can occur. Essentially, when you try to draw power for too many lights or appliances from a single outlet, this is what happens.

Though, even if you use different outlets, you still need to consider the overall capacity of your home’s electrical system. Your electrical wiring needs to be able to handle the total load of all the lights, in addition to the appliances and lighting that already depend on it.

There are a few warning signs to watch out for that indicate your electrical system is overloaded. These include:

Many people may read the above information and decide not to install holiday lights, but that’s not necessary! To prevent overloads, before you install your lights simply call one of our professional electricians to inspect your electrical system. We’ll look for hidden hazards such as faulty or old wiring, and recommend upgrading your wiring or electrical panel if necessary.

An added benefit of upgrading your electrical panel for holiday lighting is that you won’t need to worry about adding additional appliances and home automation upgrades as well. You’ll be fully equipped to handle the increasing electrical demands that are placed on many homes throughout the country today.