Electrician - Protect Your Home

Aug 30

10:13

2011

Andrew Stratton

There are a lot of home improvement projects that many homeowners or handymen can handle on their own. Unfortunately, electrical work is not one of them. Whether its installing new fire detectors or rewiring the entire home, only a trained professional can do the job right. Otherwise, there could be some tragic consequences if done with an unskilled hand, and hiring a licensed electrician is the wise thing to do.

An electrician is a highly trained and skilled tradesmen. There is a lot of liability that comes with working on the electrical system in a home or building, and even with their extensive training, they must be licensed and insured in order to work in any home or business.

While there is less likelihood of experiencing problems with work completed by a licensed professional, hiring an insured electrician means the homeowner is not liable for damages if something goes wrong. The electrical system is a series of complicated wires and circuits that would be difficult for a layman to truly understand. Therefore, there is no simple job that the average homeowner or handyman should attempt when it comes to electrical work.

During the summertime, surge protection is one of the most important maintenance needs for the home. A typical 2 ton central air conditioning unit averages about 1,450 kwh (kilowatts per hour) in one month, and the usage can be twice as much for a larger 4 ton unit. While this might not seem like a lot, the home has other electrical appliances that can add to the home's overall usage. This usage can quickly increase if the A/C unit is set to a lower temperature because it must work harder in order to output comfortable air.

Furthermore, many of today's electrical devices, including televisions, computers, and appliances, use a lot more electricity than their predecessors. This can quickly become a problem if the home is not outfitted with the proper surge protection. Flickering lights is one of the first indicators that the home might not be able to handle the amount of power usage. Older homes will be more vulnerable to power surges, especially if the main electrical panel hasn't been replaced since the home was built. Fortunately, an electrician can easily handle this problem by either upgrading the main electrical panel or installing an additional panel.

Attempting to complete electrical work in the home without a license can shorten the longevity of electrical devices, and even cause a fire. Luckily, there are affordable electricians that are both timely and professional.

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