Many homeowners don’t realize just how much danger their home could be in if they have a faulty or outdated electrical panel. This panel is where the main power line from outside the home enters and is routed through the electrical system. It also disconnects circuits if excess electricity flows through them by tripping circuit breakers. However, if a panel starts to malfunction to the point that it can’t operate correctly, then you could be at risk for a major outage or even electrical fires.

If you have an aging service panel, then it is imperative that you pay attention to the signs that it’s time for an upgrade—before it fails completely. If you notice any of the below warning signs, be sure to call a professional electrician to immediately inspect the panel and see if repairs will be sufficient or if an upgrade is necessary.

As we mentioned, constantly tripping circuit breakers are caused by excess electricity. This is common in aging electrical panels since today’s electrical demands have increased so drastically. If you have circuit breakers that are constantly tripping, then chances are that your panel can no longer handle the demand your home places on it.

Wires that wear down within your electrical panel can create small fires. Fortunately, these often quickly burn themselves out. However, they will leave behind signs that they’ve occurred, which should never be ignored. If you discover an acrid smell coming from the panel, or if you notice charring or discoloration around the circuit breakers, then electrical fires have probably already occurred, which warrants attention to your electrical panel.

When a circuit breaker trips, you should be able to just reset it and be back in business. However, if you discover that a circuit breaker within your electrical panel won’t stay reset, or it doesn’t restore power, then you likely have a faulty service panel. A professional electrician will be able to determine what the problem is and the best way to fix it.

If you’re already familiar with rebates from electric utilities and government organizations in your area, you may notice that the dollar amounts for most rebates have decreased over the past year. The average rebate for an LED replacement lamp has gone down by 7% since last January. Rebates amounts also decreased for LED fixtures: recessed down lights decreased by 66%, accent lighting by 12%, and high bay fixtures by 8%.

You needn’t be alarmed by these numbers, though. They’ve only been adjusted to match the lower prices of LEDs in 2013. Less money is necessary to make purchasing an LED financially attractive. Also, since there are over twice the programs this year, money is even more accessible.

If you’re still pondering a switch to LEDs, or have never considered utilizing LED rebates before, starting to look for them is easier than ever. Currently, you can find rebates and incentives for energy efficient commercial lighting in 71% of the U.S. As the year progresses, we should see that number go up.

Everyone is looking for ways to save power.  Whether to save money or the planet, one of the best and most popular ways to save power on lighting is by installing dimmer switches to control your lights.  Besides saving power, they’re also great for setting the mood in your home.  More and more dimmer switches are being installed in American homes every year.

Dimmer switches are easy to install, even for an everyday person. Of course, even an easy installation can be problematic, so you should always contact the best Dallas electrician to ensure that you’re doing things right, or to perform the dimmer switch installation for you if you don’t want to take a chance of making a mistake.  Either way, here are some important do-it-yourself electrical tip to keep in mind about dimmer switches:

Some winters pass quietly, others live in infamy. As one of the latter, this winter many of you may have had to resort to a “by any means necessary” approach to staying warm. Hopefully you had carbon monoxide detectors in your home to help you make it through safely. Manage without them? You might want to seriously consider the addition of these useful appliances.

Who needs a carbon monoxide detector? Anyone using any type of combustion heating such as wood stoves, fireplaces of any kind, gas and oil furnaces, in addition to gas appliances such as water heaters, stoves, and more. The incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, wood, charcoal, kerosene, propane, and natural gas used to power these items naturally produces CO (carbon monoxide) fumes. If you made it through this winter without a detector – great! But don’t push your luck. CO is the number one cause of poisoning deaths in the U.S. The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports 200 people are killed each year from accidental CO poisoning, with another 5,000 injured. Chimneys get clogged, appliances malfunction or suffer venting issues, and today’s airtight homes increase the chance of CO accumulation. In short, stuff happens – be prepared!

We love carbon monoxide detectors. Why?

How they work Though design varies slightly by model, carbon monoxide detectors use a CO gas sensor to identify and measure the concentration of carbon monoxide in your home in parts per million (ppm). When dangerous levels are detected, an electronic pulse is sent to activate the alarm – the higher the levels, the faster the response.

Are your carbon monoxide detectors safely installed?

Know the signs of CO poisoning so you can react quickly:

Need to add a few carbon monoxide detectors to your home? Contact Mr. Electric® today. Our professionals technicians use the latest in technology to ensure the safety of you and your family.