Blog

Lightning strikes Daytona, FL home

5 Steps To Take If Lightning Strikes Your House

While lightning strikes are relatively rare events, they can cause serious damage. Hidden electrical damage can eventually lead to fires or electrical shock, so it’s important to get this damage checked out right away. By working with a licensed electrician, you can quickly get your post-strike damage evaluated and repaired. Quick Takeaways Ensure your family is safe first. Never touch your electrical panel or damaged wiring. Check for damage. Remember that lightning can cause damage

Read More »
Lightning strike in Daytona, FL

What Happens When Lightning Strikes a Home?

It may come as a surprise, but lightning doesn’t need to strike your home directly to cause damage. It can strike a nearby power line, which can send a surge of electricity through your electrical system. That surge can damage your appliances, trip your breakers, and even cause hidden damage, like melted wires behind your walls. When lightning strikes your home or the area around it, it’s important to contact a licensed electrician. Licensed electricians

Read More »
Generator with proper amount of surge watts

What Are Surge Watts?

You have to know your appliances’ starting and running wattages to pick the correct size generator. “Surge watts” is just another term for starting watts, which is how many watts an appliance draws to start up its motor. The right-sized generator will produce enough watts to cover your appliances’ starting and running loads. Quick Takeaways Surge watts, also commonly referred to as starting watts or peak watts, are the amount of power that a generator

Read More »
Properly sized generator outside Daytona, Florida home

What Size Home Generator Do I Need?

Florida is no stranger to severe storms and hurricanes that cause power outages. Having backup power to run your AC and sump pump is crucial to keeping your home safe. Backup power is also vital for running medical devices like oxygen concentrators or CPAP machines during power outages. But you must have the correct size generator to ensure you can keep all of your major appliances and essential systems running. You’ll know your exact generator

Read More »
Electrician properly grounding light switches

Do Light Switches Need to Be Grounded?

The short answer to this question is yes. The longer answer is that grounding is required for new light switches and recommended for older light switches. If you live in an old house, some or all of your light switches may not be grounded. You don’t have to upgrade them, but you and your home will be safer if you do. Quick Takeaways Grounding safely directs electrical currents into the earth The NEC requires grounding

Read More »
Knob and tube wiring in older Daytona home

Diagnosing Wiring Problems in Older Daytona Homes

There are many older homes throughout Daytona that have outdated wiring. Certain materials, like aluminum and cloth insulation, significantly increase the risk of overheating, short circuits, and electrical fires. When something goes wrong, it’s imperative to have a skilled electrician handle the repair. You don’t want to risk shocking yourself or damaging the electrical system by trying to fix the faulty wiring yourself. Quick Takeaways Outdated wiring is common throughout Daytona, and it poses several

Read More »
two electricians installing dedicated circuit for ev charger

Do EV Chargers Need a Dedicated Circuit?

Are you among the millions of Americans who’ve turned away from the pumps and embraced electric vehicles (EVs)? If so, installing an at-home EV charger could make your life a lot easier. It’s safe, convenient and cost-effective — with one potential catch. It takes lots of power to charge a vehicle, and your existing electrical system may not be up to the task. You’ll likely need a 240-volt dedicated circuit to do the job properly,

Read More »
electrician performing ev charger installation for Daytona, FL home

What To Expect During Home EV Charger Installation

If you have an electric vehicle, an at-home charging station is a great way to make sure you’re always ready to go. If you’re thinking about getting an at-home EV charger, here are a few key considerations. Quick Takeaways A level 2 charger is often the best choice for most homes. A dedicated circuit is required, and you may also need panel or electrical upgrades. Hiring a professional electrician can ensure your safety and compliance.

Read More »
electrician fixing outlet with open ground

What Does “Open Ground” Mean? and How Do You Fix It?

An open ground means a three-prong outlet isn’t properly connected to a ground wire. This creates a shock and fire hazard because fault current has no safe path to the earth. The safest fixes are running a new ground wire, installing a GFCI with proper labeling, or replacing the outlet. Here is a look at what an open ground is, why grounding matters, and some of the dangers. Let’s also explore some of the common

Read More »
fire caused by hot outlets

Why Is My Electrical Outlet Hot to the Touch?

A hot outlet usually means circuit overload, loose wiring or a failing outlet. While a slight warmth can be normal with some devices, a hot outlet is dangerous and should be inspected by a licensed  electrician immediately. In this article, we’ll examine why your electrical outlet gets hot, along with what you should do about it. Is It Normal for an Outlet to Feel Warm? Electrical resistance creates a tiny amount of heat generation. Therefore,

Read More »