Service masts are usually damaged during storms. Storms can rip out the connection at the service point, disconnect the service entrance conductors from the service panel, or simply fry and mangle the wires at any point along the system. Generally, you’ll have to replace service mast components that
Are My Circuits Overloaded?
An electrical circuit overload happens when too much current passes through the electrical wires. This can happen if you have too many appliances on the same circuit or when there’s a power surge. Are lights in your home dimming? Are the outlets buzzing? You may have an overloaded
Why are the Lights in My House Flickering?
Flickering lights in your home can be a sign of an issue with the lights themselves or with the electrical system as a whole. They could happen because of changes in voltage, loose connections, the wrong type of lightbulb, and more. Just because the lights are flickering in your home doesn’t
Do I Need a New Smoke Alarm?
If your smoke alarm has been around for over 10 years, is overly sensitive, or continues to beep even after the batteries have been changed, it’s time to replace the device. Staying up to date with your smoke alarms is crucial in keeping your home safe. When your smoke detector beeps, that
How Does Minnesota’s Winter Weather Cause Power Outages?
If you’ve lived through winter in Minnesota, you already know that cold weather can hurt nearly everything. In fact, you’ve probably been spending the last several weeks preparing for that weather. Winter is just as hard on our utility infrastructures and homes as it can be on us. Unfortunately,
How to Fix a Broken Circuit Breaker
To start this blog about circuit breakers (and broken circuits), let's start in Borneo. Obviously. See, there's this ant in Borneo, the Colobopsis saundersi, that blows itself up whenever it’s seriously threatened. Seriously. Let's say there are a bunch of these ants, just hanging around the
The Most Common Electrical Problems
Just because these electrical problems are common doesn't mean you don't have to worry about them or get them fixed. Unfortunately, even common electrical problems can be expensive or even dangerous if they’re left alone. Here are some of the electrical problems pretty much everyone will have to
Solving Common Well Pump Problems, Part 2
This blog... is also about wells. Here's part 2 of our blogs about well pumps. In part one, we helped you figure out what’s going on when your well stops producing water. In this blog, we’re going to tackle two more of the most common well pump problems. Here’s how to deal with weird water
Solving Common Well Pump Problems, part 1
This Blog Is About Wells. And that is a deep subject. Sorry, old joke. Actually, it's about well pumps because they use electricity, and Early Bird covers all the bases when it comes to electricity. Now you're thinking, "No one has a well today. Come on, this isn't Lassie." (For you kids, Lassie
All About Your Home’s Sump Pump
“Sump” is a funny word. It literally means a reservoir designed to drain or hold liquids. A sump pump empties that reservoir when needed. They could’ve called it a “hole in the basement floor” pump or “reservoir” pump... but sump pump just sounds better, don't you think? No matter what you call
What’s Wrong With My Electric Water Heater?
Imagine: you’re in the middle of a nice, hot morning shower. Then, without any warning at all, your shower is neither hot nor nice. Your water is freezing. After leaping out of the shower, you’re probably only thinking one thing (well, one blog-appropriate thing): why did that just happen?! So:
My smoke alarm won’t stop beeping. Help!
Beeping smoke alarms are pretty common, and there's usually an easy fix for them. Before you shut up beeping smoke alarm for good, however, you should know why it’s beeping in the first place. It’s good to know stuff, and it turns out that beeping is happening for a reason. That’s why we’d like to