In Common Electrical Mistakes Part 1, we wrote about common mistakes any homeowner can make. In this blog, we’re writing about mistakes you might make specifically when you’re working on an electrical project. Now, you might be reading these so you can know what you're talking about when you call
Why You Should Make Upgrading Your Electricity a New Year’s Resolution
Auld Lang Syne basically means “days gone by." If many days have gone by since you thought about your electrical system, consider changing that this new year. Updating your home’s electrical infrastructure is the perfect New Year’s Resolution. It’s measurable, achievable, and important. Not only
Common Electrical Mistakes Homeowners Make, Part 1
Most mistakes are minor. Sure, they can cost a little money or waste a little time, but they usually can't really hurt you. Electrical mistakes, on the other hand, can cause fires, shocks or electrocutions. That's why you really want to avoid common electrical mistakes like these. In this blog,
How to Avoid Fire and Electrical Hazards This Holiday Season
The song tells us Christmas is "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year," but it can also be a surprisingly dangerous time of year. Fire hazards and electrical problems are both very common problems during the holidays. We’re not just talking about the candles or the fireplace, either. All those holiday
How to Install Christmas Lights Safely
If you think about it, Christmas decorations are odd. We bring a tree inside, put up lights outside. All those lights are festive and pretty and everything, but they can also be dangerous. When you combine a dead, dry tree with electricity or expose strings of electric lights to snow and cold,
How to Replace an Electric Water Heater’s Heating Elements
In part one of the electric water heater blog, you learned how a water heater works, and how to troubleshoot some common problems. At the end of part 1, we promised we'd tell you how to replace the heating elements in your water heater. It's a bigger job, but it’s also simple, straightforward,
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:
Answering Your Questions About Tamper-resistant Outlets
Kids Who Scamper In Pampers Shouldn't Tamper Kids love to explore, and that’s a good thing--it’s basically their job to learn, after all. Unfortunately, all that curiosity occasionally gets kids in trouble. They do something dangerous like playing with electrical outlets and they get hurt. Around
Why You Should Switch to Three-prong Outlets
It's time to replace your two-prong outlets with three-prong outlets. Two-prong outlets are unsafe and outdated. So outdated, in fact, that since 1962 building code has stated that all new houses must install three-prong outlets. Three-prong outlets protect your home against: Electric shock
How Do Thermostats Work?
Put Another Log On The Fire That’s more than a line from a clever song with lyrics by Shel Silverstein. Come on baby you can fill my pipe and then go fetch my slippers And boil me up another pot of tea Then put another log on the fire babe And come and tell me why you're leaving me Aren't
How To Repair or Replace Your Thermostat
Fix the Thermostat, STAT! If you've ever watched one of those doctor shows, you’ve probably heard the phrase "Dr. So-And-So needed in ER--STAT!" STAT means the good doctor is needed immediately. And if your thermostat doesn't work, you want it fixed immediately. You learned a little about
All About Home Electricity: Part Two
Your Electrical System Is Complex Your electrical system doesn't have a complex, but with all those wires and components, it is complex. That doesn’t mean you can’t hope to get to know or even understand it, however. We’re going to do our best to break things down as simply as possible. In part